For students in the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Master of Science in Marketing program, experiential learning means more than observing industry in action—it means contributing to it.
During a visit to Constellation's Baltimore headquarters, students gained an inside look at one of the nation's leading energy companies while working on a live business challenge tied to the company's digital customer portal. The visit gave students the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a professional setting, collaborate with industry leaders, and develop recommendations that are helping inform Constellation's future customer experience roadmap.
Connecting classroom learning with industry practice
The visit began with a tour of Constellation's headquarters, where students learned how teams across the organization collaborate to serve customers and respond to the complexities of the energy market. A stop at the company's energy trading floor highlighted the environment behind the operations that support customers every day.
Students also heard from Karen Jennings, director of digital strategy, who shared how Constellation uses digital tools and customer insights to support the needs of different customer segments. Jennings introduced the company's online customer portal, which is designed to empower customers to make informed energy decisions with greater confidence while navigating a rapidly changing industry.
The visit concluded with a challenge for students to develop strategies to increase customer engagement with the digital portal.
An opportunity with impact
Working in teams, students developed and presented recommendations for Constellation leaders, applying marketing strategy, customer experience, and consumer behavior concepts to a real-world business topic.
According to John Domagalski, director of market strategy and analytics at Constellation, the collaboration benefited both the students and the company.
"We wanted students to learn about the Constellation business, take a tour of our headquarters, and participate in a learning experience where they could address a real-world business opportunity for consideration and feedback," Domagalski said.
The value of the experience extended beyond the classroom. Domagalski said Constellation reviewed the students' recommendations and found many of their ideas valuable.
"Our team has reviewed the ideas shared by the student teams as part of their visit to our offices," he said. "Many of them were useful and are being considered as part of our future portal roadmap."
Expanding career perspectives
The visit also introduced students to career pathways within the energy industry while providing opportunities to connect with Constellation professionals.
Eric Chen, a Master of Science in Marketing student, said the experience broadened his understanding of both the company and the industry.
"The Constellation visit offered me a meaningful opportunity to engage with professionals and understand both the company and the energy sector," Chen said. "The case challenge was especially valuable because it allowed me to leverage my creativity and marketing skills in a real-world business scenario. This visit motivated me to connect with professionals at Constellation and explore potential career opportunities in the energy industry."
Students also heard career advice from Constellation leaders, including Andrew Singer, vice president, Commercial and Industrial Power regional sales, whose message about developing deep expertise resonated with Kenny Hsu, another Marketing student.
"One piece of advice that stuck with me from Mr. Singer was to build real depth in a single domain first, then apply that to different areas," Hsu said. "Having a strong core skill you own really matters."
The visit also challenged Hsu's assumptions about the energy industry.
"I initially assumed Constellation was primarily a client-facing energy provider," Hsu said. "In reality, the company also maintains a wholesale energy trading desk behind the scenes. The scope was much broader than expected."
Reflecting on the customer digital portal demonstrated during the visit, Hsu said he saw firsthand how thoughtful product design can impact both customer experiences and business operations, leading to streamlined decision-making, less operational burden on the customer service team, and a more seamless user experience.
"The dashboard brings fragmented capabilities into an integrated interface," Hsu said. "This not only streamlines decision-making but also creates a more seamless user experience while reducing operational burden on the customer service team."
Building partnerships that create value
For Constellation, the collaboration provided an opportunity to mentor emerging professionals, gain fresh perspectives on a current business initiative, and strengthen ties with the university.
"It has been a pleasure to partner with Johns Hopkins," Domagalski said. "We all had an opportunity to learn something new, explore new concepts together, and expand our networks."
Experiential learning opportunities like the Constellation site visit give Carey students the chance to translate classroom knowledge into practical solutions while building professional networks and confidence. For industry partners, they offer access to fresh ideas and future talent. Together, these collaborations demonstrate how meaningful partnerships can create value for students, employers, and the broader community.
