Students from the IU Kelley School of Business are using their academic skills to help shape the future of rural Indiana businesses.
The Kelley School partners with the IU Center for Rural Engagement's Sustaining Hoosier Communities (SHC) initiative, a program that pairs academic courses from the IU Bloomington campus with rural communities to advance local projects.
Through SHC, Kelley students have helped address a wide variety of rural business needs, from business planning to marketing to financial analysis.
Recent projects include developing business plans for the Huntingburg Regional Airport, conducting tax analyses for rural fire departments, assessing retail markets for the City of Jasper, and creating strategies for a new cross-dock and transload facility in Daviess County—each directly benefiting local economies.
"I think one of the things that's not intended as part of the program, but I think occurs, is that the students have more of an appreciation for giving back, and they realize that this actually does make a difference in people's lives," Cook said.
One of those students is Morgan Dabagia, a 3/2 MBA student tasked with a business consulting project for Dubois County's Huntingburg Regional Airport in the spring of 2024. It was her first hands-on business experience outside the classroom, and she was struck by the importance of relationships in the close-knit community.
"I gained perspective that I didn't have before. I think it really emphasized the importance of relationships in business," she said.
The Huntingburg Regional Airport plays a significant role in the southwestern Indiana, serving five major corporations—Kimball International, Best Home Furnishings, JASPER Engines & Transmissions, Masterbrand Cabinets, and OFS Brands.
"Those are the big five that probably employ 80 percent of our population around Dubois County—not just in Huntingburg, but the whole county," said Travis McQueen, the airport manager.
Dabagia's team initially focused on developing a cost-benefit analysis for an industrial park, but due to local funding limitations, the team shifted gears and focused on exploring alternative revenue sources for the airport.
"We figured the more activity they can get, using the airport as a business development opportunity was the best solution," she said.
Ultimately, they created an interactive model that allows airport staff to test different revenue scenarios, a tool that could revolutionize how the transportation hub attracts investments. They also proposed opportunities to add a solar park and increase corporate travel to generate more revenue.
McQueen, who worked closely with Dabagia and her classmates throughout the Dubois County SHC partnership, said the students brought "fresh eyes and fresh ideas" that the airport desperately needed.
Having the in-depth resources and the focal point that the students brought to the table was absolutely phenomenal for us. They were able to aggregate data and bring ideas that, quite frankly, we were not using, utilizing, or leveraging to the extent it could be used.
Travis McQueen, Huntingburg Airport manager
"I'm a staff of basically one. I do have another full-time employee, but that employee is basically outside every day doing something on our 600-acre complex," McQueen said. "So having the in-depth resources and the focal point that the students brought to the table was absolutely phenomenal for us. They were able to aggregate data and bring ideas that, quite frankly, we were not using, utilizing, or leveraging to the extent it could be used."
The insights and recommendations from Kelley students not only help rural businesses save money, they also offer strategies for sustainable growth—all without the cost of traditional consulting fees.
In Daviess County, SHC’s current partner community, 3/2 MBA student Joseph Webster was recently part of a field consulting team that worked with the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation. Their objective was to help the county plan the operations of its new cross-dock and transload facility.
"The perspective is pretty powerful," Webster said. "When you work in the corporate setting, you're definitely a little less hands-on. Maybe you're working more remotely. But going out and seeing in person what kind of impact you could have is great. If we can have any sort of positive impact on a rural community, I'd feel great about that."
His team focused on strategies to optimize the facility's use, identifying potential clients and targeting the right markets to support local job growth and community development. Their final presentation offered several models to enhance operations and attract clients.
Webster, now preparing to graduate and enter the professional world, said that visiting the transportation facility in Washington and working directly with Daviess County stakeholders was an invaluable experience.
"I think the program has equipped us with some intangible skills—problem-solving, asking good questions, doing things on your own to come up with some sort of idea or solution,” said Webster.
As the SHC initiative expands, it continues to provide valuable support to rural Indiana business initiatives. By connecting academic expertise with local needs, Kelley students are sharpening their business acumen while helping drive growth and innovation in rural Indiana.