When the inaugural cohort of the University of Miami's online Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program began the fall semester, they expected to build timelines, workflows, and risk mitigation plans.
What they didn't expect was to see how those engineering tools —applied entirely in an online learning environment— would help them deliver comfort and supplies to families across the country just in time for the holiday season.
"These students did what great engineering managers do," said Nina Miville, associate dean for the College of Engineering and one of the faculty leaders behind the creation of the program. "They showed how engineering leadership can strengthen communities in real and immediate ways.
"And they did it all by meeting virtually across multiple states."
Over four weeks, students led a coordinated, multi-site service initiative called the Nourish Neighbors Food & Clothing Drive, resulting in the collection and distribution of more than 700 food items, clothing donations, and holiday essentials.
Working from Florida, Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky, students used the skills they learned in class to design, plan, and execute four community drives tailored to local needs.
What emerged was a powerful example of how engineering leadership can create meaningful impact far beyond the classroom—even when that classroom is virtual.
"This project reflects exactly what high-quality online graduate education should be," said Jill Buban, the University's associate provost for online learning. "When programs are designed intentionally, online learning doesn't limit collaboration or leadership, it expands it. These students took what they were learning in a virtual classroom and translated it into real-world impact across multiple communities."
Each student-led site began with a 10-week planning period that mirrored the process professional engineering managers use in industry. Working hundreds of miles apart, the cohort coordinated through weekly virtual meetings and shared documentation to ensure consistent goals and deadlines.
Their collective mission: gather at least 500 nonperishable items and distribute all donations to partner agencies by Nov. 28. They exceeded the target with 730 items, including winter clothing and essential supplies for families preparing for Thanksgiving.
"What we saw was community in motion," said student Kelly Sloan, whose team in West Palm Beach collected more than half of the group's total goal. "People donated once, then returned with friends or coworkers. That ripple effect is what made this feel so powerful."
Partnering with Bungalow Counseling and Souljourner Counseling, Sloan's team created an accessible drop-off point for downtown residents. They collected 293 non-perishable items over the 28-day drive, delivering them to the Palm Beach County Food Bank and helping meet the organization's needs for high-demand, holiday-specific staples.
In Ohio, student Isabella Pepdjonovic organized a drive at her apartment complex, collecting 152 items for Be Concerned, one of Northern Kentucky's oldest and largest food pantries. Pepdjonovic tracked donations daily, refined promotional messaging, and adapted collection strategies in real time.
"Seeing the bin fill each day was a reminder that small, consistent actions add up," she said. "Engineering management isn't just about processes. It's about improving systems so people can benefit."
In two Central Florida counties, Megan Myles partnered with the Mirabella Club House and United Against Poverty, gathering 185 nonperishable items. She said her team focused on improving distribution, cross-partner communication, and strategies for increasing donor participation.
"We learned to anticipate shortages, adapt quickly, and coordinate with partners to ensure donations reached families who needed them most," Myles said.
In Virginia Beach, Felix Garcia organized a holiday food and clothing drive in partnership with St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church. His team helped more than 50 families through a drive-through distribution center that included 144 Thanksgiving baskets, winter clothing, pastries, and donated turkeys.
"The holiday season should be a time of joy, but for many in our community, it can be a challenge," Garcia said. "We hoped this drive would provide support and also bring people together."
Church representative Sue Bucher said the partnership with the students helped meet a surge in local need, especially following the government shutdown. Beyond the quantities, though, the holiday drive revealed poignant moments that exemplified leadership in action.
A recently widowed mother spoke of spending her first Thanksgiving without her husband. A displaced family cheered when they received three children's winter coats. Volunteers repaired a family's flat tire so they wouldn't miss their next appointment.
Miville said it's stories like these that underscore key themes of the course curriculum: planning with purpose and serving with compassion. Nourish Neighbors is more than a successful class project, she said. It is a blueprint for what future cohorts of the program can accomplish.
"Their lessons will help shape the structure of our service-learning experiences, ensuring that future students develop both their technical and human-centered leadership skills," she said.
In their final meeting, the students shared a message they said had become the heart of the project: "The happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more."
In giving more, Miville said, the program's first cohort helped define what the online engineering master's program can be.
"Their work in this first semester of the program is a reminder for all of us that engineering leadership is about much more than managing systems," she said. "It's about uplifting the people those systems are meant to serve."
Enrollment for the UOnline Master of Engineering Management program is open through Dec. 19. Connect with an advisor to learn more or apply online.
