Author: Maddie Koss

It doesn’t start with a lecture or a textbook.

It starts with a question – one without a clear answer – and a dataset big enough to feel intimidating. Students aren’t told exactly what to do or how to get there. Instead, they’re asked to figure it out, together, under real deadlines and real expectations.

That’s the premise of the NCAA Final Four Analytics Challenge, where analytics move beyond the classroom and into a professional arena. Using real NCAA data, students step into the role of analysts, strategists, and storytellers – applying technical skills while learning how to communicate insights that matter.

Originally launched as a regional analytics competition, the challenge has grown into a statewide experience that mirrors Indianapolis’s role as both a basketball capital and an innovation hub. Now co-hosted by Butler University and the NCAA, the Final Four Analytics Challenge invites students from across Indiana to step into the kind of analytical work happening behind the scenes of major sporting events – and far beyond them.

Students compete in teams of two to five, working through multiple rounds that require predictive modeling, visualization, and clear business communication. They’re asked not only to analyze data, but to explain it – translating complex findings into insights decision-makers can actually use.

For many students, the draw is simple: it’s real.

That challenge often pushes students well beyond what a traditional classroom can offer. Past participants describe learning new tools, navigating ambiguity, and working at a pace that mirrors professional environments.

“This competition gave me hands-on experience with advanced Tableau modeling, Google Collaboratory, and data classification,” Gottfried said. “Those are skills you don’t just learn conceptually – you learn them by doing, at the scale real projects require.”

The analytics challenge is intentionally designed to welcome students from a wide range of academic backgrounds. Analytics experience helps, but curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving matter just as much.

Senior Marianna Green, an international business and Spanish double major, didn’t initially see herself as an analytics student at all.

For many students, the impact extends well beyond the competition itself. Participants consistently point to the competition as a turning point – academically, professionally, or both.

“The challenge broadened my perspective on the opportunities that exist in analytics,” Gottfried said. “It showed me how the skills we’re learning right now can make us changemakers in a rapidly evolving industry.”

Juanita Rojas, a junior finance and economics double major, echoed that sentiment.

That ability to communicate insights is a core focus of the competition, and one that students say has followed them into internships and professional settings.

“After the competition, my confidence with data visualization and advocating for recommendations grew significantly,” Rojas said. “It reinforced my interest in using analytics in real decision-making environments.”

The experience begins with a Tip-Off Event on Feb. 2 at the NCAA Hall of Champions, where teams receive their case and connect with peers and professionals. Finalists advance to present in person on April 6 at the Indiana Convention Center just ahead of the Men’s National Championship game – a national stage that underscores just how real the work has become.

For students considering whether to register, past participants offer simple advice.

“Register to broaden your perspective, get hands-on experience, and work with a team that will push you to be better,” Gottfried said.

“If you’re looking to expand your skill set in a competitive environment, this is it,” Green added. “The skills you take away will serve you long after the competition ends.”

As Indianapolis prepares to welcome the Final Four, LSB students won’t just be watching the action – they’ll be contributing to the kind of analytical thinking that drives it. And by the end of the competition, they’ll walk away with more than experience.

They’ll walk away knowing they can do the work.

At the Lacy School of Business, our students don’t just learn about data analytics – they apply it to real-world challenges that make a tangible impact on our community. This fall, a group of senior students partnered with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) to contribute to Vision Zero, the city’s ambitious initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2035.

Through this collaboration, students worked on multiple projects analyzing live traffic data to identify high-risk areas across Indianapolis. One focus area was Michigan Road, where a significant number of traffic-related fatalities have occurred. By examining detailed data – including traffic speeds, patterns, and street usage – students developed actionable recommendations for improving safety, such as where medians or other traffic-calming measures could be most effective.

Another project brought students directly into the heart of the city, in Fountain Square, where they studied the effects of a “road diet” that reduced lanes to slow traffic and installed urban safety devices. Using speed guns and pre/post observations, students tracked vehicle speeds on roads with and without medians, giving them direct insight into how street design influences driver behavior.

“This project allowed students to see firsthand how data, design, and human behavior intersect on our streets,” Dr. Jason Davidson, assistant professor of management information systems, said. “They weren’t just analyzing numbers – they were observing, learning, and contributing to solutions that could save lives.”

For Natalie Bayes, a statistics major and data science minor, the opportunity to participate was both exciting and eye-opening. “I’ve never done research before, so when I heard about the Vision Zero partnership, I reached out to Dr. Davidson right away,” she said. “I was really excited to be onsite, collecting data and using speed guns – not just working with numbers on a spreadsheet.”

The New Jersey native was particularly impacted by the hands-on nature of the work. “Working with the Department of Public Works gave me a perspective on how the city operates,” she explained. “I got to work closely with the traffic signal engineer, and it was fascinating to conceptualize what goes into traffic planning. There are things you don’t think about, and it was fun to contribute to solving real problems.”

Students presented their findings and recommendations at the City-County Building in early December, creating dashboards and actionable insights that directly inform the DPW’s ongoing safety initiatives.

Vision Zero reflects Indianapolis’ commitment to creating streets that are safe, equitable, and accessible for everyone – whether walking, biking, driving, or using public transit. By partnering with local government on these initiatives, LSB students are not only learning critical analytical and research skills – they are actively helping shape a safer, smarter city.

“Hands-on learning is so important,” Natalie added. “If you stay in the classroom, you lose sight of the ‘why.’ Applying what you learn to real-world situations is exactly what you’ll do in every career.”

Before most first-year students have even settled into campus life, they’re handed a challenge: Here’s a real company. Here’s a problem. Now go figure out what to do about it.

That’s the heartbeat of the First-Year Business Experience (FBE), a course that throws students into the world of business from day one, letting them learn by building, creating, presenting, and discovering. It’s the class that nudges them out of the familiar and into the mindset of someone who asks hard questions, digs for answers, and thinks like a business professional from the start.

Teams begin the semester by diving into a publicly traded company – an intentional decision that gives students access to real data and real insight.

“We choose publicly traded companies because students can dig in and find real research,” Brenda Geib-Swanson, Lecturer of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, said. “They don’t know what they don’t know yet, so exploring everything – from marketing to logistics to organizational structure – opens their eyes to how businesses actually operate.”

This year, every company touched the logistics industry: shipping, fuel, warehousing, and the many layers of supply chain work that shape how products move through the world. For many students, it’s the first time they’ve seen how interconnected business truly is.

The turning point of the semester comes during the final four weeks, when teams enter what Professor Geib-Swanson calls the “sustainability sprint.” After uncovering a sustainability issue within their chosen company – whether it’s emissions, waste, inefficiency, or something less obvious – they begin ideating a bold, research-backed solution. They sketch, test, revise, and refine, often discovering that the solution they start with is not the one they end up championing.

“Sustainability is a hot topic, and we want them to think creatively,” Professor Geib-Swanson said. “This is where they practice ideation, problem solving, business writing, and business presenting. Even if they won’t become entrepreneurs, they still need those skills.”

For first-year exploratory business student Charlotte Potts, the sprint revealed a challenge she didn’t expect to enjoy. “I’m not a numbers person, so the toughest part was getting them right,” she said. “But I ended up handling the cost-benefit analysis, and seeing everything come together – and actually be accurate – felt really rewarding.”

By the end of the sprint, every team produces a research poster, a one-minute elevator pitch, and a full 4–7 minute presentation. Each class section votes on a winner, and those teams advance to one of the most anticipated traditions of the semester: the Top Dawg First-Year Competition, where section winners pitch to a panel of business professionals. The ultimate Top Dawg earns an automatic A and bragging rights that last long past finals week.

“It’s really fun,” Professor Geib-Swanson said. “The energy, the ideas, the excitement – students surprise us every year with how far they take this project.”

By the end of the semester, the transformation is unmistakable. Students who walked in unsure of what business school might look like leave with real experience in ideation, creativity, innovation, and complex problem solving. They’ve researched real companies, uncovered meaningful sustainability challenges, and learned how to communicate their ideas clearly and confidently. They’ve stretched themselves, surprised themselves, and discovered something essential about who they are and who they’re becoming.

For many, Top Dawg is the defining moment – the culmination of a semester of hard work, curiosity, and creativity. For others, it’s simply the spark – the moment they realize they are capable of thinking like a business leader long before they’ve completed their first year.

“It’s important to be open to learning as much as you can. You’ll get out of this what you put into it,” Charlotte said. “Problem-solving, teamwork, communicating – these are skills I know I’ll use in future classes and in my career.”

Lacy School of Business (LSB) is proud to announce that Butler Entrepreneurship has been named a 2026 TechPoint MIRA Awards Finalist for the Community Impact Award, recognizing organizations that are transforming Indiana’s tech and business ecosystem.

Launched in January 2025, Butler Entrepreneurship is more than a program – it’s a campus-wide movement that empowers students, faculty, and alumni to transform ideas into ventures that create measurable social, economic, and community impact. Rooted in the belief that business can be a force for good, the program equips students with the skills, mentorship, and resources they need to launch ventures that generate revenue, create jobs, and strengthen local communities.

“Imagine a student arriving on campus with a spark of an idea, unsure if it can go beyond a class project. Butler Entrepreneurship transforms that spark into real change,” Nick Smarrelli, Director of Entrepreneurship, said. “From their first day to graduation, students engage in experiences that cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets, launch authentic ventures, and create measurable social, economic, and community impact.”

Since its launch, Butler Entrepreneurship has grown into a cross-disciplinary engine of innovation, supporting more than 70 student-owned businesses, partnering with 40+ community organizations, and connecting students with 100+ alumni and industry mentors. Student ventures have generated six-figure profits and have contributed meaningfully to local commerce, employment, and community well-being.

Key initiatives demonstrating the program’s impact include Launch HOPE, where students mentor entrepreneurs from marginalized communities, helping them access resources and grow ventures that drive meaningful outcomes. Through Building Indiana’s Tech Future, students leverage AI tools and collaborate with alumni founders, engineers, and investors to bring tech-enabled solutions to life. Community partnerships like the Healthy Care, Healthy Costs Data Challenge & Accelerator and Rolltack Ventures’ First-Year Pitch Competition give students hands-on experience addressing real-world challenges in healthcare, financial literacy, and workplace innovation.

In addition to its campus initiatives, Butler Entrepreneurship is helping lead the way in connecting universities and fostering intercollegiate collaboration. The program has partnered with Notre Dame graduate Adam Andres, as well as CICP, Rolltack Ventures, and 16Tech, to host an intercollegiate entrepreneurship conference and competition in late February. This effort brings together student innovators from multiple universities to share ideas, compete, and build networks that extend Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Butler Entrepreneurship will also participate in the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Conference on January 26, supporting the community by educating and preparing the next generation of leaders to take over Indiana’s most important businesses.

Student-run ventures under Bulldog Enterprises, including Chimba Bowls, Blue’s Closet, Butler Brew, and Blue Roll Media, generate revenue, employ peers, and reinvest profits locally. Highlights include Chimba Bowls expanding to a second location, Blue’s Closet diverting over 2,200 pounds of clothing from landfills and donating 800 pounds to local nonprofits, and Butler Brew achieving a six-figure net positive while supporting campus and community causes. Every student-run venture in the Real Business Experience donates at least 10% of profits to local nonprofits, totaling nearly $20,000 over three years to support food banks, scholarships, and community programs.

Butler Entrepreneurship bridges students with mentors, investors, and peers through programs like the Private Ventures Association (PVA), Minority Owned Business Initiative (MOBI), and community events including Elevate Sprint Week, Bark Tank, and the First-Year Pitch Competition. Alumni founders from Salesforce, High Alpha, and Elevate Ventures serve as mentors, judges, and investors, creating a strong ecosystem that extends Butler’s impact far beyond the campus.

The program has ambitious goals for the coming years: launching the Butler Accelerator, a year-round hub connecting student founders with mentors, investors, and seed funding; doubling participation in programs supporting minority and marginalized entrepreneurs; piloting new student-run ventures in health tech, sustainable retail, and AI-enabled education tools; and expanding national recognition by sharing Butler’s open-source entrepreneurship framework with other universities.

With these initiatives, Butler is positioning itself as the Midwest’s most accessible university-based startup ecosystem, nurturing the next generation of socially responsible leaders ready to make an impact in Indianapolis and beyond.

The MIRA Awards gala will take place on April 24, 2026, at The Palladium in Carmel, celebrating Indiana’s brightest innovators, impact makers, and tech leaders. Butler Entrepreneurship is honored to be recognized among these outstanding changemakers.

“This recognition is a testament to the creativity, passion, and dedication of our students, faculty, and community partners,” Nick said. “Together, we’re building ventures, building leaders, and building a stronger, more equitable community.”