Tepper School MSBA Students Connect and Collaborate at Spring 2025 Campus Experience Weekend

Students in the part-time online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program at the Tepper School gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a Campus Experience Weekend, held May 2–3, 2025. The in-person event brought together students, faculty, and industry leaders for two days of immersive learning, professional development, and connection with classmates.

The Campus Experience Weekend gives students a chance to explore Carnegie Mellon’s campus and engage directly with faculty and peers. Attendees took part in hands-on workshops, heard from faculty experts, and explored how to apply analytics in real-word situations across industries.

One of the interactive sessions featured the Lego Team building exercise, drawn from the Managing People and Teams course, a cornerstone of the Tepper School master’s programs that focuses on developing leadership and collaboration skills. The exercise challenged students to quickly plan and prioritize goals, process large volumes of detailed information, and coordinate their execution while avoiding errors.

“The exercise helps students delve into the details of coordinating teamwork, and the benefits of matching their coordination strategy to the changing needs of their task during different phases of collaboration,” said Anita Williams Woolley, PhD, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Theory.

Throughout the exercise, students experienced firsthand how different phases of a project require varying levels and forms of interdependence, and how misalignment between coordination strategy and task demands can impact team efficiency and quality. Mastering these power skills like collaboration, active listening, and understanding different communication styles are what positions students for long-term career success across roles and companies.

From sessions on people analytics and team development, to exploring the use of data in sports and design thinking, the weekend agenda showcased the many ways analytics drives business strategy today. The weekend included an exclusive visit to Deloitte, where students learned how analytics underpins much of the organization’s consulting and innovation work. The visit also offered valuable networking opportunities with Deloitte professionals.

Dr. Kathleen Conway, Executive Director of the MSBA and MSM Programs, emphasized the importance of this kind of immersive learning for online students.

“A common challenge in online graduate education is building a real and trusting relationship with your cohort,” said Conway. “Our on-campus experience weekends are intentionally designed to allow students space to connect, learn, and build relationships in a short-duration but high-impact weekend.”

In addition to academic sessions, students took time to unwind and build community through dinners, museum visits, and social outings around Pittsburgh. These activities underscored the weekend’s goal to deepen professional and personal connections while reinforcing the human side of analytics and leadership.

The Campus Experience Weekend exemplifies the Tepper School’s commitment to developing data-informed leaders who can collaborate, innovate, and lead in a world increasingly shaped by analytics. 

Explore more about our Part-Time MSBA program.