University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

The Good Acre, Minnesota’s largest nonprofit food hub, is developing plans for a new warehouse to serve local farmers. They came to the Carlson Analytics Lab to ask Business Analytics grad students for help deciding the facility's location.

Students investigated five potential locations for the new warehouse, analyzing data related to nearby farms, potential consumers, and transportation costs. This project is part of the experiential learning within the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program, which connects students with real clients every semester.

“There are real actionable outcomes from the data that was presented by these students,” says Nikki Warner, director of communications and government affairs at The Good Acre. “It is going to change the way we think about expansion in the future.”

To learn more about experiential learning in the MSBA program and this client partnership, read the full story: https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/news/msba-students-support-local-farmers-data-analytics

Meet Steve Horsfield, '03 MHRIR and executive director of Simpson Housing Services (SHS), who's currently managing a $47M campaign that includes constructing a four-story shelter to assist unhoused people transition out of homelessness.

The four-level facility is slated to be completed in November 2025. The building will have 42 units of supportive housing, which Horsfield says are designed to help people transition into independent living. These units are in addition to 72 shelter beds with onsite services for shorter stays.

SHS had an operating budget of about $6M when Horsfield started in 2012 and now has more than $13M in funding. It also operates supportive housing programs for single adults and families, with added programs including literacy and mentoring services for children. In addition to the new shelter and housing building, the campaign is funding a new program site near the Minneapolis Farmers Market that accommodates on-site access to many of these resources.

Horsfield credits his education at the Carlson School of Management with aiding him in his present role.

“I would not have anticipated how much Carlson prepared me for leadership roles,” he reflects. “The most important resources are the people who are working here, and a lot of how I approach management comes from my experiences at Carlson.”

To learn more about Horsfield and SHS, read the full story here: https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/news/carlson-school-alum-leads-shelter-project-minneapolis

New year, new...spouses? Babies? 💍🍼 If any alums have recent wedding or baby news, message us your info and some photos by January 17 to be featured in the Spring 2025 issue of the Carlson School Magazine.

We didn't hear of any mergers in Fall 2024, but discovered plenty of acquisitions! Meet these new members of our Carlson community:

1️⃣ Harry Barrett, ’24 MBA, celebrated the birth of his daughter, Mary, on February 12, 2024.
2️⃣ Jason Killey, ’19 MBA, welcomed his son, Isaac, on September 27, 2023.
3️⃣ Shannon (Leach) McNamara, ’20 MBA, celebrated the birth of her son, Declan, on October 11, 2023.
4️⃣ Sydney Fellabaum, ’17 BSB, ’23 MBA, welcomed her daughter, Etta, on May 18, 2024.
5️⃣ Tara Pierce, ’20 MBA, welcomed her son, Theo, on May 17, 2024.
6️⃣ Matthew Warmuth, a current MBA student, welcomed his daughter, Ruthie, on March 29, 2024.
7️⃣ Helen (Muller) Simonett, ’10 BSB, and Adam Simonett, ’07 BSB, welcomed their second child, John Robert Simonett, in October 2023.
8️⃣ John Atkins, ’15 BSB, ’21 MBA, celebrated the birth of his daughter, Riley, on April 9, 2024.

Students brighten our campus community so much—but we recognize how important it is that between semesters, they reconnect with their communities at home. To help them focus on that, the Carlson School will be pausing all social media posting from December 21 through January 5.

Spend time with loved ones. Soak up some time away. Then return to campus, refreshed for another semester. We'll be back online January 6; see you next year!

Renovation has begun for Connecting Carlson, the Carlson School's $40 million and 70,000-square-foot building project scheduled to be finished by Fall 2026. 🧱

This week, construction crews started disassembling the iconic atrium sphere sculpture and removing tile from the first floor and stairs. Future construction will include updating some of the school’s most frequently used spaces, like select classroom and study spaces on the lower, first, and second floors. A new Enterprise Lab suite will be built, and a larger Carlson Analytics Lab space expanded on the first floor.

Read more about Connecting Carlson here: https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/news/connecting-carlson-construction-begins

Today, renovation begins on the $40 million, 70,000-square-foot Connecting Carlson building project! This starts the school on a journey to transform its flagship building. It will be renamed for Marilyn Carlson Nelson, former CEO and chair of Carlson.

This month has included multiple celebrations amongst the Carlson School community. Students, staff, faculty, and community members had the chance to sign a steel beam. A night of connection was held to bid farewell to the Carlson School building as it currently exists. Moving forward, the school looks excitedly to the future and dreams of Connecting Carlson!

Were you in any student groups during college? 💬 We have a few new organizations at the Carlson School this year!

Introducing the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA).

“ALPFA is an org committed to the development and belonging for individuals in the Latino or Hispanic community," says Oscar Lopez '26 BSB. "We are committed to creating an environment where people feel supported and at home as they navigate university life and search for full-time opportunities. No matter how you look, who you are, or what major you are, we are here to support and welcome you with open arms.”

These photos are from the Connections y Experiencias event, where students spoke with recruiters at different stations about professional development, resume building, and LinkedIn.

Did you have a favorite class project during college? Comment below! 💬

Yesterday, MKTG 4076: Digital Marketing students hosted an event ("Worlds Within Reach") as their final project! 🌎💙

It included trying cultural foods, meeting cultural student groups, and even a tango demonstration! This course introduces students to the most up-to-date tactics, applications, and trends in digital marketing. It encompasses internet, social, and mobile marketing.

Graduate students or alums, sound off! Comment your program and grad year below! 💬

Last night, the Semester Send-Off was open to current students from any graduate program, to celebrate their accomplishments and hard work from this past semester. Students were also able to connect and network with others from different programs.

Festive sweaters, tasty food, and great company—thanks to everyone who came!

What year did you graduate from the Carlson School? Comment below! 💬

As 2024 ends, we're looking ahead—to the Class of 2029! These three were the first to confirm their enrollment, and they've already been joined by nearly 100 more future students.

We're to welcome:
Chase Van Fossen
📍Winona, MN
Ava Nunes
📍St. Croix Falls, WI
Owen Lind
📍Mora, MN

Future admits can DM us for a copy of this frame, to use in their posts. Remember: Undergraduate Program applications for Fall 2025 close on January 1. ‼️

This Thanksgiving, many struggle to set their tables with food. For the second year, our Supply Chain master's students are working with Second Harvest Heartland (SHH) to get everyone the meals they need, all year round.

This partnership began when Trevor Nelson, '18 BSB and senior business analyst for supply chain at SHH, reached out to his former teacher for help. Professor Susan Meyer Goldstein saw the potential for collaboration immediately. Her Master of Science in Supply Chain (MS SCM) students work to identify further opportunities for improvement in the nonprofit's supply chain.

“I think of this project as a win-win-win,” says Goldstein. “It’s a win for our students to begin applying what they’re learning in classes to real supply chain challenges in an industry none of them works in. It’s a win for Second Harvest Heartland, for them to have access to an amazing set of supply chain talent. Our students brought a lot of expertise and energy to the project. The third win is that nobody should be hungry in any of our communities across Minnesota and so if we can contribute to improving the supply chain to feed more of our neighbors, that’s a win.”

Where did you study abroad during college? Comment below! 💬

Last week was International Education Week, and students had the chance to attend various events:
🍩 Coffee and Donuts
✏️ International Education 101
🔄 Around the World with CGI
🧠 Student Mental Health & Wellness Abroad Workshop

Of the 5,200 international students at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, around 500 are enrolled at the Carlson School. This , let's look at a few of their stories:

Prakhar Sharma, '25 MBA, had been working an IT job in his home country of India for more than six years. While he liked working at Oracle, he felt it was time for a change, and decided to pursue an MBA. He says, “Given the kind of connection that Carlson had and the companies that come for recruitment on campus, it had a very strong profile and strong appeal to me."

Diego Condo, '26 BSB (Management Information Systems), grew up in Costa Rica, and his entire family has earned their degrees abroad. Condo says, “My parents are super big on education and wanted to open as many doors for us as possible."

When Mei Yee Chew, ’25 MBA, left Malaysia to study at the Carlson School, it was a two-fold opportunity—to pivot her career from education to people development, and to be closer to her brothers. She says, “We all left home after high school and studied in different places. We hadn’t lived in the same proximity for 20 years, so this was an opportunity to come together as a family.”

To learn more about each of these student's stories and their experience as international students, read the full article here: https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/news/international-students-share-their-carlson-school-stories

Were you in any student groups during college? 💬 We have a few new organizations at the Carlson School this year!

The first is the Muslim Business Administration (MBA). ☪️

"[This] is a group designed for Muslim students interested in business," says Mohamed Jeylani, '27 BSB and MBA president. "It was created to provide a platform for those students so they can better access career development opportunities, resume workshops, and other resources."

MBA believes in more than just building careers—the group "[believes] in building futures rooted in purpose, integrity, and justice."

On and every day, it's important to recognize service members during their time in uniform and beyond. These four Carlson School students are maximizing their potential and preparing for civilian life by earning their business degrees:

• Stephany Smith, ’26 MBA, has spent 12 years in the U.S. Army and Alabama Army National Guard rising the ranks and leading human resource operations.

• Jim Palmer, ’25 MBA, served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, starting as a nuclear mechanic aboard the U.S.S. Minneapolis-Saint Paul and retiring as a lieutenant.

• U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant Brittany Gray, ’26 MBA, currently serves as the company commander for the Minneapolis Recruiting Company.

• After serving in the U.S. Navy for eight years, Matt Pilla, '23 MS SCM, '26 MBA, transitioned to the medtech industry.

Learn more about them here: https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/news

(The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense [DoD] visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.)