This past fall, Inner Strength Education had the privilege of working with a team of five talented MBA students from Villanova University—Alex Amrhein, Lisa Potter, Aaron Seigle, Chase Standen, and Gavin Ventresca. Together, we embarked on an exciting journey to vet the potential for ISE’s mindfulness and systems thinking work to expand into higher education. Would a modified Inner Strength program work with matriculating college students? Could we help universities stem the tide of mental health issues among their students? What would the finances look like and who could fund a pilot and a roll out? Who is already serving this space and how can we augment rather than compete?
With their diverse backgrounds in Facilities Analysis, Investment Product Strategies, Systems Engineering, Advertising Operations, and Project Management, the Villanova MBA candidate team brought fresh perspectives and sharp business acumen to a vital area: supporting student wellbeing on college campuses.
A Dynamic Partnership
From October through December, the Villanova MBA students worked closely with ISE, meeting weekly to dive into a rich collaborative process. We were fortunate to have key ISE team members involved, including Executive Director Amy Edelstein, Instructor Eliza Taylor, Advisor/Innovation Coach James Barnes, a Villanova EMBA faculty emeritus, as well as input from other key ISE team members. The result was a dynamic, creative, and fun partnership that generated valuable insights for ISE and gave us actionable suggestions for future initiatives.
Exploring Needs, Challenges, and Opportunities on College Campuses
Throughout the semester, the MBA students immersed themselves in research. They conducted market analysis and also explored the current state of mental health and wellness at colleges and universities.What they found about the state of mental wellness on campuses was concerning. The team found a pattern of rising mental health challenges on college campuses, particularly anxiety, depression, and loneliness. This trend has created a growing demand for mental health and wellness support—a demand that outpaces available resources. At the same time, colleges seem to be providing many supports. Perhaps too many in a somewhat decentralized way, making it hard for students to take advantage of the supports they are providing. We had some thoughts about the gap which warrant further research.
In the course of our discussions, the Villanova team quickly grasped ISE’s mission and the meaningful difference we’ve made in the lives of tens of thousands of Philadelphia public school students over the last decade. Through their research, they also confirmed that students beyond the high school level could benefit from what ISE has to offer in the areas of mindfulness, systems thinking, community, and emotional resilience.
Key Findings and Recommendations
On December 7th, the MBA team presented their findings in an impressive showcase at Villanova’s Bartley Hall at the Business School. Their recommendations were insightful, strategic, and offered a roadmap for ISE to bring its work to a larger audience. Some of their suggestions included:
- Capitalizing on ISE’s Network: The team recommended leveraging ISE’s already robust network of professionals and educators to build relationships with college administrators, student groups, and public and private entities.
- Optimizing Digital Materials: The MBA students advised us to continue refining and expanding our digital resources. They highlighted the importance of reaching students through innovative platforms and content formats while also recognizing the irreplaceable power of person-to-person interaction.
- Leveraging Branding: The team offered valuable feedback on ISE’s branding, praising our logo and materials for their creativity and elegance. They recommended using these assets strategically to spread awareness and build recognition of ISE’s mission on campus.
Gratitude
We are deeply appreciative of the hard work and enthusiasm of our Villanova MBA collaborators. This partnership provided us with an invaluable SWOT analysis and with fresh ideas and ways to think creatively and strategically about expanding ISE’s work. Thanks to their research and insights, we are better equipped to bring ISE’s unique combination of mindfulness, systems thinking, brain science, and character development to a wider audience—ensuring that more students benefit from the life-changing tools and habits of mind that we teach.
In the months ahead, we look forward to exploring how we can integrate these recommendations and continue to work towards a future in which young people can access the support they need for thriving in both their academic and personal lives.
Thank you again to Alex, Lisa, Aaron, Chase, and Gavin for their outstanding contributions. We couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities ahead!
