Ann Arbor, MI – The Tauber Institute for Global Operations proudly welcomed Dean Steven Ceccio of the University of Michigan College of Engineering to the 2023 SPOTLIGHT! Team Project Showcase and Scholarship Competition. The SPOTLIGHT! event is an annual competitive presentation of operations solutions developed by Tauber Institute business and engineering student teams during their 14-week team projects at top global companies. Team projects are multi-disciplinary, collaborative internships where students work on operations issues to potentially earn or save sponsoring companies millions of dollars. In these custom opportunities, students demonstrate their skills to a demanding audience and show they can outperform expectations.

“Over the past 14 weeks, [Tauber students] were change agents and problem-solvers — tackling real, company challenges and delivering exceptional results,” said Ceccio. “Among your efforts, you have improved process speed and safety in fulfillment centers, evaluated communications methods, identified and improved critical process steps, optimized manufacturing and supply chain strategies, and enhanced companies’ abilities to make data-informed decisions.

“The impact of these project teams is significant. According to calculations by the sponsoring companies, the total three-year impact of the 2023 Tauber Team Projects is projected to be more than $820 million in savings and revenue improvement. That’s an average of $45 million per project over three years. And, importantly, these projects provide thoughtful and forward-thinking opportunities for our students to grow as multi-disciplinary leaders.”

The Tauber Institute was formed 30 years ago as a joint venture between the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the College of Engineering, working with various industry partners to facilitate cross-disciplinary education in global operations management. In its 30 years, the Institute has significantly impacted operations worldwide.

“I am proud of what our students have accomplished,” said Ceccio. “and I am grateful for the past 30 years of collaboration between Michigan Ross and Michigan Engineering to make this possible. Within Michigan Engineering, collaborations like this are part of what we call our “people-first engineering” framework. In addition to having excellent engineering fundamentals​, it’s important to be able to THRIVE in diverse, interdisciplinary teams— and that’s exactly what our Tauber project teams have been doing.

“To our corporate partners, we sincerely appreciate your substantial and consistent support throughout this program. Tauber students, thank you for your transformative work and contributions to your sponsoring organizations this year. It is truly remarkable.”

To learn more about the Tauber Institute, including how to join or how to sponsor a team project, visit tauber.umich.edu.