ACTION LEARNING AT MIT SLOAN
Dean’s Circle donors provide a wide range of support for the MIT Sloan student experience, including the unique opportunities made possible through Action Learning, one of the foundational experiential aspects of an MIT Sloan education. Emphasizing MIT Sloan’s mission to develop principled, innovative leaders, Action Learning’s ultimate goal is to immerse students in real-life business situations through its host organizations—experiences that equip students with problem-solving skills, adaptability, and a team mindset that they can apply to their own organizations and careers.
According to Lisa Barone, Assistant Director of Action Learning, in 2023, nearly two-thirds of MIT Sloan students across all programs took an Action Learning lab during their time at MIT Sloan. One Action Learning participant was recent graduate Taylor Walker, MBA ’23, who took part in USA Lab, which focuses on domestic challenges and solutions. “I, along with two other students, partnered with the Hutchinson Community Foundation, a publicly supported philanthropic organization, to address the aging population of Hutchinson, Kansas, and explore ways to attract young, working families to the city,” Walker said. “We were given a broad problem and asked to dissect and prioritize what needed to be addressed first,” she added. “This project challenged us to step away from a syllabus and truly go into the world and figure it out by talking to those closest to the issues.”
Though Hutchinson is more than 1,600 miles away from Cambridge, Walker found immense value in the experience. “This project reminded me of the importance of being engaged in local government and fulfilling each of our civic duties,” she said. After a semester of intense research and investigation, USA Lab students offered the Hutchinson Community Foundation a solution: more affordable housing to draw in a younger generation.
Traditionally, MBA classes teach entrepreneurship and business skills, but Action Learning at MIT Sloan focuses on the holistic vision and impact of industry leaders. “This is the class that not only teaches tangible skills and provides students an opportunity to be consultants and project managers, but this is the course that teaches humanity,” Walker said. “This project furthered my perspective on how cities run like a business. Since then, it has sparked me to want to learn more about my own city council and associations and think about how I can leverage my talents for local government.”
MIT Sloan students carry their Action Learning experiences and takeaways far beyond graduation. Host organizations that partner with labs and students are often headed by MIT Sloan alumni. And thanks to interest and engagement from students, host organizations, and alumni alike, new labs are being added to investigate emerging fields like digital product management and alternative investments across new regions. “We have a million ideas about what we could accomplish,” says Barone.
Support from Dean’s Circle donors allows students like Walker to engage in real-world activities that broaden their business horizons far beyond the classrooms of Cambridge. In June, Walker and hundreds of other Sloanies crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. Though her time at MIT Sloan has ended, Walker cherishes the lasting memories she made here. “I was exposed to so many diverse personalities and professional interests while at MIT Sloan,” she said. And thanks to unique programs like Action Learning—made possible by the generous support of Dean’s Circle donors—Walker adds, “I am confident this improved my ability to problem solve and ask questions across multiple audiences to rootcause an issue.”
This is the class that not only teaches tangible skills and provides students an opportunity to be consultants and project managers, but this is the course that teaches humanity.
Taylor Walker, MBA ’23