March 26, 2015 (Jackson) - Business students in Belhaven's Operations Management class got a behind-the-scenes look at how the Mississippi Children's Museum functions.
“One of the great opportunities in business administration coursework is touring an actual facility where the principles learned in class are being used to produce a product or service,” said Dr. Bill Penn, Professor of Economics and Business.
A total of 25 students were treated to a tour of the 40,000 square foot facility with over $8 million in exhibits located in Jackson, Miss. on February 27. The tour involved a 45-minute walk-through of the children's learning and playing areas by Cynthia Till, Special Events and Facility Rentals Coordinator. Patti Reiss, Guest Services Manager, also described the operations methods employed in maintaining the unique museum. Students had the opportunity to ask Charley Frye, Director of Museum Experiences and Emily Hoff, Director of Development, questions regarding the development, maintenance and future growth of the museum.
Jake Landry, a senior majoring in business, said, “I was a little surprised at first that Dr. Penn chose the Mississippi Children's Museum as the place for our Operations Management class to visit. It seemed a strange place to learn about college-level material. Once we arrived and started the tour, I realized how wrong I was. The museum deals with millions of dollars in equipment, handles thousands of visitors a week, and can tell you roughly how much food their café will need on any given day of the year. It was a great way to see in action what we have been learning.”