Fall 2025 Cohort Experiences a Wild Ride from R&D to O.M.G.!
If you thought the Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation (SMTI) course, which is a part of the SC Innovates® SmartState® Center at the University of South Carolina (USC)’s Darla Moore School of Business was all business talk and R&D spreadsheets, think again. This semester’s cohort in MGMT 733 proved that while they can wrestle with the complexities of innovation strategy, they can also weather the unexpected chaos of moments unscripted. Led by the ever-spirited Professor Laura B. Cardinal, affectionately known as “Prof. C,” by her students, the class has earned a reputation for being one of the most studious cohorts yet.
“They came in laser-focused and ready to pick apart every nuance,” Prof. C noted. “But somehow, we still found ourselves in the Twilight Zone of classroom mishaps.”
Those “mishaps” ranged from malfunctioning vending machines at the Global Café to a guest observer, Professor Joel Stevenson, accidentally rolling down the tiered lecture hall like an unplanned case study in crisis management. Add in a thunderstorm that literally caused water to pour through the building’s ceiling, and you’ve got a semester the students won’t soon forget. “What happens in SMTI stays in SMTI,” Prof. C quipped, borrowing a line straight from Vegas.
However, beneath the humor and hijinks lies a course that equips students to make informed, quality decisions about technology investments, innovation strategy, and R&D. For many, the class feels like a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity.
Natasha Abramson, a Strategic Innovation Certificate student who works in Army talent acquisition, reflected: “This class gave me the framework needed to see how innovation can drive strategy in both business and public service. I am already applying this thinking in how we attract and develop talent in a rapidly changing environment within the military.”
Kari Kistler, an International MBA student and professional oboist with the Charleston Symphony, shared her unique perspective: “I’ve performed for audiences around the world, but nothing prepared me for a class like this. The intensity, the collaboration—it’s like playing in a symphony where every note is about building strategy.”
And then there’s Hardeep Pandher, a PMBA student and fraternal twin whose brother Jessie took this same class years ago while pursuing a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering. “It’s wild to follow in my brother’s footsteps. I had no idea he took this course until I was already registered for it.” Pandher said. “This course connects the dots between academic R&D and industry innovation. I know it’s knowledge I’ll use to drive my own career forward just as it helped my brother.”
While this semester’s MGMT 733 class might be remembered for its gremlins, thunderstorms, and unforgettable mishaps, it will also be remembered for something far more valuable: a focused, determined cohort ready to take innovation strategy from the classroom into the real world.