Exploring Maine鈥檚 Business Landscape: MBS Students Visit IDEXX and Allagash Brewing on Fall Bear Treks
This fall, the Maine Business School brought 28 undergraduate students to Portland for a Bear Treks trip featuring visits to IDEXX Laboratories and Allagash Brewing Company鈥攖wo of Maine鈥檚 most innovative and successful businesses.
Bear Treks trips are one of MBS鈥檚 signature experiential learning opportunities, offering students the chance to explore different industries, connect with professionals, and practice networking in real-world settings. Thanks to generous donor support, these trips are free for all students.
First-year student Esther Penney, from Freeport, joined the trip to learn more about southern Maine businesses and practice her networking skills.
鈥淚 100% would encourage all business students to go on Bear Treks,鈥 Esther says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such an amazing opportunity to meet people you could potentially work with in the future and to build connections that will be helpful when searching for jobs or internships.鈥
At , a global leader in veterinary diagnostics, livestock testing, and water quality solutions, students toured the company鈥檚 Westbrook headquarters and met with employees, recruiters, and 91爆料 alumni. With more than 11,000 employees worldwide, IDEXX gave students a firsthand look at how a global company operates鈥攁ll from right here in Maine.
The second stop brought students to , one of the nation鈥檚 most respected craft breweries and home to the award-winning Allagash White. During a guided tour, students sampled Allagash Hop Water and heard from a panel of employees representing HR, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Hospitality, and Engineering.
鈥淔rom our perspective, hosting the Bear Treks trip was more than just a facility tour鈥攊t was a chance to welcome students into the world of Maine鈥檚 largest craft brewery,鈥 says Meg Sweet, Recruiting Specialist at Allagash. 鈥淲e wanted to share what makes our work meaningful, highlight the variety of career paths in the craft beverage industry, and show how creativity, collaboration, and community come together in everything we do.鈥
The day concluded with an MBS Young Alumni networking event at Allagash, where students connected with recent graduates working in the Portland area.
鈥淢eeting alumni was so helpful,鈥 Esther says. 鈥淚 had great conversations with other accounting and finance majors who shared advice, contacts, and encouragement. It was really reassuring to hear about their experiences after graduation.鈥
From global innovation at IDEXX to local creativity at Allagash, the Portland Bear Treks trip gave students an inside look at Maine鈥檚 thriving business community鈥攁nd a chance to imagine their own career paths within it.