Why Alumni Choose Action Learning: Real Challenges, Real Impact

What Is Action Learning?

Action learning brings the classroom to life by pairing industry executives with high-performing student teams to tackle real, pressing business challenges through project-based engagements. Executives effectively “recruit” qualified student talent to work on strategic priorities—creating a true win-win. Students gain hands-on, real-world experience and the opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge in meaningful ways, while companies benefit from dedicated teams and fresh, innovative perspectives. The model is intentionally high-touch and low-pressure—relatable, collaborative, and energizing for all involved. For alumni, action learning is also a powerful way to stay engaged with Questrom: building connections with students and faculty, identifying future talent, and being inspired by new ideas, emerging thinking, and the next generation of leaders.

Alumni Spotlight

Benjamin Tarshis (Questrom ’14) is Chief Strategy and Operating Officer at Bascom-Turner Instruments, a privately held scientific instrumentation company that provides safety and emissions equipment for the natural gas industry across the U.S., North America, and globally. Prior to joining Bascom-Turner, Ben was a consultant at PwC, where he specialized in human capital strategy and culture transformation for Fortune 500 clients. He lives in Westwood, MA with his wife, Elizabeth, and their four children.

Q&A: Alumni Perspective on Action Learning

What motivated you to partner with Questrom students on action learning projects?
As a Questrom student, I had the opportunity to participate in several action learning projects, and they were always engaging and integral to my own—and my classmates’—growth and development. As an alumnus, I see it as both an obligation and a privilege to pay those opportunities forward. And as the owner of small businesses, I will always welcome world-class advice and perspectives—especially when they come from such talented, motivated students.

Can you describe the business challenges you brought to the student team?
I’ve had the privilege of partnering on multiple projects with Professor Carter’s Strategy Implementation class. One project focused internally on roles and responsibilities, ways of working, and company culture. Another was externally focused on brand evaluation and involved Questrom students conducting interviews with customers and prospects—an incredibly valuable exercise for our organization.

What surprised you most about working with the students?
I am consistently impressed by the professionalism and versatility of Questrom’s Part-Time/Evening MBA students. These individuals are balancing 40+ hour work weeks, evening classes, and an additional consulting-style engagement—yet they show up fully engaged and highly effective. They quickly connected with the challenges I face as a business owner, drawing on both their professional experience and the theories they were learning in class. When I was a student, faculty and career mentors often said Questrom MBAs deliver all of the talent with none of the attitude. As a project sponsor, I experienced that value proposition firsthand and couldn’t be prouder to be an alum.

How did the students’ insights influence your organization’s next steps?
The team delivered real voice-of-the-customer insights and competitive intelligence that an internal sales team—or even an external firm—could not have accessed in the same way. Customers and prospects were remarkably candid with the students. Their findings have directly informed our short-term sales priorities as well as longer-term strategy and product development decisions.

Would you recommend action learning to other alumni? What advice would you give?
Absolutely. Boston University students are an impressive group, and they will challenge you and your organization in productive ways—so you need to be ready for that. These projects are also a fantastic way to engage with early-career talent and assess potential future hires, all while giving back to the Questrom community.

You can stay up-to-date with the Center for Action Learning by subscribing to our newsletter here. If you’re interested in exploring a collaboration, please reach out to Pete Howard, Executive Director of Action Learning at pjhoward@bu.edu,or John Temps, Associate Director of Action Learning at jtemps@bu.edu.

Interview by John Temps, Associate Director of Action Learning.
Introduction and copy editing by Dee Polat, ICF-PCC, Director of Alumni Engagement.