Pawley Institute scholarships awarded to Lean thinking students

(left to right) Julianne Leigh, director of Budget        and the Pawley Institute, recipient Matt Szczesiul      and Amanda Benjamin, Pawley Institute site      administrator.

The Oakland University Pawley Lean Institute (PLI) would like to congratulate the recipients of the Dennis and Carlotta Pawley Endowed Undergraduate Student Lean Award: Matthew Szczesiul and Cassie Bell.

Funded by the PLI and Oakland University Outreach, the scholarships are valued at $1,000 per student.

“I was surprised and honored to receive this award,” Szczesiul said.

The award honors those who have demonstrated knowledge of interdisciplinary principles and concepts underlying Lean thinking and leadership through the use of Lean skills in course work, including class projects, internships, independent studies or presentations, either in a class or work environment.

Both students believe that Lean is an important concept in the future of the economy and have had experience implementing Lean.

“Most importantly, because it works,” Szczesiul said. “It has a proven track record.”

Szczesiul, a senior in the Bachelor of Integrated Studies program with a focus on Lean entrepreneurship, said that his experience in Lean began in HRD 304: Lean Principles and Practices in Organizations, with Professor Mark Doman. The class spent time working with organizations that implement Lean practices and even performed a gap analysis for the company.

Bell is a senior HRD major who worked on a kaizen team with Professor Doman that leaned out Oakland University’s grade change process. A process, Bell said, that was streamlined from over 30 steps to six steps. The pilot of the team’s program is expected to run this fall.

The winners will be honored at a small reception on September 29 along with the recipients of other Oakland University Outreach scholarships.

For more information about Lean and the Pawley Lean Institute, visit oakland.edu/lean.