Outdoor Industry MBA at Western Colorado University

10/30/2024

🌟 Meet the Outdoor Industry MBA (OIMBA) Leadership Team! 🌟

Jennifer Visitacion – Director, Outdoor Industry MBA
With a strong background in leadership, strategic planning, and business coaching, Jennifer is dedicated to cultivating a dynamic learning experience that empowers students to thrive in the outdoor industry.
cucinelli – Graduate Recruiter & Administrative Lead, Outdoor Industry MBA
Sierra is your go-to for all things OIMBA! With her passion for mountain biking, non-profits, and education, she’s committed to guiding prospective students and supporting program operations, helping future leaders succeed in the outdoor industry.

10/28/2024

Are you passionate about the outdoor industry and ready to elevate your career? Join us for an upcoming Outdoor Industry MBA (OIMBA) Info Session to learn more about our program designed to help you make an impact in the field.

Info Session Details:

In-Person Session:
November 12, 2024, 12:30 - 1:30 PM
Borick 104 Pizza provided!

Virtual Session:
November 13, 2024, 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Via Zoom (Register through the QR code on the flyer, at https://forms.office.com/r/PfG6zpWPmL, or through the link in bio)

During these sessions, you’ll meet Jennifer Visitacion, Director of the OIMBA, and Sierra Cucinelli, Graduate Recruiter & Administrative Lead, as they share details about the OIMBA program. Whether you join us in-person or virtually, this is a great opportunity to ask questions and explore how you can carve your path in the outdoor industry.

Feel free to reach out to Sierra Cucinelli at [email protected] with any questions.
We look forward to seeing you there!

06/03/2024

Highlight on one of our recent OIMBA graduate, Kipp Godfrey! Kipp is currently looking for his next career opportunity and we're pretty certain he won't be "free" for too long! 😃

We recently asked him about his experience and capstone project:
"I joined the OIMBA to get a better education in business strategy, fill in the finance gaps, and to gain hands-on experience in product management. I was fortunate to partner with Geyser Systems who I worked with on a year-long project to manage the development of a new product offering. From this experience I learned how to integrate marketing and merchandising into product development, manage internal and external stakeholder involvement, create product timelines, build and draft product briefs, and develop methods aimed at a holistic approach to product management. As I look for my next position in the outdoor industry, I look forward to the opportunity to make a positive impact on product and business strategy!"

05/21/2024

Check this out! We LOVE the awesome travel clothings designed by our recent graduate Lex Mobley!

Her OIMBA capstone project was multi-layered—both an effort to (1) revamp her existing wool outerwear manufacturing company, which included improving workflow processes and organizational capabilities, as well as (2) launch a new brand with products more aligned with her outdoor interests and regional market, which included designing and developing products, creating visual branding materials, and building a website and social media.

https://hmoon.com/

We can't wait to see where Lex takes Half Moon Designs!

05/20/2024

We love local projects with BIG reach! Recent OIMBA graduates Miriam Olvera capstone project aimed to promote rural economic development while supporting underserved communities in the Gunnison Valley and Region 10 – specifically to the Hispanic/Latino population.

While there are many business start-up programs – none really addressed the language barrier, except Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute (RMMFI)! Miriam Olvera will be moving back to the front range area to continue working with RMMFI as their new Development Coordinator and hopefully continue supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in Colorado.

05/07/2024

Congratulation to Morgan Lewis for completing her OIMBA capstone project with Burton Snowboards!

Centered around various business objectives at Burton, her project aimed to increase inventory sell-thru in a way that aligns Burton's purpose and helps to make snowboarding more financially accessible to all communities.

When we interviewed her about her experience in the OIMBA, Morgan said:
"I had a pretty unique experience with the OIMBA Program and finding a capstone project. In the end, I could not be more thrilled with where I ended.... I can't wait to see what the future holds, and despite the challenges that come with working full-time and going back to school, being a part of the OIMBA program has been incredibly rewarding. The people I've worked with along my journey have made this such an unforgettable experience. All the shout outs in the world can't express my gratitude!

For those looking to join the Outdoor Industry, and the OIMBA program, Morgan says:
"My biggest advice is to always advocate for yourself and mental health. Going back to school is never easy, and I can't stress the importance of checking in with yourself. Work hard and never forget to get outside. Always have fun and work on projects that you're passionate about. The outdoor industry is filled with the most kindhearted, intelligent, hardworking people and it's an honor to be a part of it." ❤️

05/06/2024

School is out for summer! What's your favorite warm weather activity? Hiking, biking, climbing, rafting, or maybe year-round skiing?

05/03/2024

We’re so excited to have our soon to be graduates of the OIMBA program in town to present their capstone projects! We’re so proud of all the hard work they’ve put into these! 👏 🥂 🎉
maddie .l.deboer .fk

04/30/2024

Skiing in May?! Why not!

Colorado, California, Utah and Montana still have resorts open! Breckenridge Ski Resort even got 6" of snow this last weekend!

https://loom.ly/ruvsrUY

It looks more like February than late spring at many of these North American ski areas.

04/29/2024

An awesome initiative from Smartwool! Don't toss those old (clean) socks during your spring cleaning this year!

CALLING ALL USED (clean!) RETIRED SOCKS!

We want YOU! Yeah, YOU! To join our Second Cut Project!

Find a local dealer near you by following the link: https://www.smartwool.com/second-cut-project-retailer-list.html

📸:

04/29/2024

Last Monday, our students had the opportunity to present their final deliverable for The Wright Collegiate Challenge in front of a panel of judges and other teams in the competition. Participants really enjoyed getting to work with their project sponsors and provide some value to the businesses involved.

A huge thank you to Tim Mullen and Chuck Sullivan for organizing this event!

04/24/2024

Congrats to our alumni Sydney Elliot who recently joined the Ruffwear team as their Retail Store Manager of their flagship store! Sydney has been working towards joining her fave company since 2016! Joining Ruffwear has been a long time coming and unleashed lots of growth opportunities towards her product-driven career.

Sydney noted that the OIMBA helped her achieve several interviews at large outdoor companies, and she attributes her value-driven communication and growth in leadership a success of her experience in the program.