Mentoring Mission Expands Harvard Business School Case-Method Learning Across the U.S., Europe and Asia

Mentoring Mission, a Chicago-based nonprofit that connects business leaders with high school students, expanded its Harvard Business School (HBS) case‑method programming to three new sites during the 2025–2026 academic year: Spain Park High School in Birmingham, Alabama; Liceo Morgagni in Rome, Italy; and the International School of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo, Japan. Mentoring Mission also returned to Riverside University High School in Milwaukee this school year.

In Rome, Tokyo and Birmingham, students studied the Netflix in 2024 case using a structured instructional model based on Harvard Business School case‑method principles. Students examined evidence, evaluated strategic choices, and developed their own interpretations of Netflix’s evolution and Blockbuster’s decline.

Liceo Morgagni — Led by Professor Silvia Carnini Pulino

In Rome, Professor Silvia Carnini Pulino of John Cabot University led a dynamic case‑method session at Liceo Morgagni, joined by classroom teacher Eleanora Mori and Mentoring Mission founder Carol Valentino‑Barry. Pulino noted that students initially approached the unfamiliar method with caution, but quickly grew more confident as the discussion unfolded.

“At first they were a bit shy—the subject matter, the method, and the language of instruction were all unfamiliar—but they had prepared, and gradually they warmed up,” said Professor Pulino.

To recreate the cadence of an HBS classroom, Pulino used tent cards, a participation scorecard, and guided questioning to draw students into the conversation. As ideas surfaced, she built a glossary on the board — defining terms such as business model, strategy, and culture — so students could anchor their thinking in clear, shared language.

“As the ideas kept flowing in, I built a glossary on the side with some of the key terms—business model, strategy, culture—making sure concepts were well defined in their minds,” she explained.

With that foundation in place, the class moved into deeper analysis of Netflix’s DVD‑by‑mail model, its value proposition, cost structure, and strategic evolution — and why Blockbuster’s organizational barriers prevented it from responding effectively.

“They were active and had some really good insights,” said Professor Pulino.

After the session, the school’s English teacher shared the experience with the principal, who expressed interest in hosting the program again.

International School of the Sacred Heart — Led by HBS Alumni Volunteers

In Tokyo, students in Tyler Horn’s AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics classes participated in two case‑method sessions led by HBS alumni Tatsuo Kawasaki and Yumiko Murakami.

Horn praised the experience:

“This was a 10/10. Exposing the kids to HBS-style case studies, bringing another voice into the classroom, and working through such a well-written case made for a fantastic experience. I’d welcome this again anytime.”

Students also viewed a recorded response from Kennedy Kelly-Hooks of Netflix, the protagonist of the case:

“Strategy is as much about what you won’t do—and Netflix is very intentional about focus.”

To support consistent instruction across cities, HBS student Abhinav Pathak recorded a train‑the‑trainer webinar for alumni volunteers:

“This case has it all because it presents a lot of data for us—so we can start with strategy and draw out different themes as well.”

Spain Park High School — Led by HBS Alumni Volunteers

At Spain Park High School, students in David Pafummi’s Business Education classes participated in a full Socratic seminar facilitated by HBS alumni Jim Turnipseed and Andrew O’Connor.

Turnipseed praised the students:

“The students were sharp, prepared, and fully engaged. They handled the Socratic method with maturity and insight.”

O’Connor guided students through protagonist‑centered analysis, competitive positioning, and strategic decision‑making.

The seminar demonstrated that high school students can engage seriously with complex business cases when given preparation, structure, and the opportunity to explore ideas collaboratively.

Riverside University High School — Led by HBS Alumni Volunteers

At Riverside University High School, students in Vincent Goldstein’s Economics classes worked through the Peanut Butter Fantasy case, an introductory entrepreneurship case focused on supply and demand, product differentiation, and cost structure.

Guided by HBS alumni volunteers, students analyzed how a specialty peanut butter brand could stand out in a crowded market while maintaining a sustainable business model.

“The students really dug into the question of who the customer is and why differentiation matters,” said teacher Vincent Goldstein. “They saw how supply, demand, and costs shape even simple business decisions.”

Dr. Steve C. Michael of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Lubar School of Business praised the students’ engagement.

“They asked the right questions about pricing and competition — exactly the kind of thinking entrepreneurship requires.”

Goldstein invited Mentoring Mission to return next year for additional case‑method sessions.

Across Rome, Tokyo, Birmingham and Milwaukee, instructors followed a unified instructional model: advance case preparation, tent cards, participation tracking, guided questioning, glossary building, protagonist‑centered analysis, structured takeaways, and multimedia reinforcement.

Students demonstrated that they could analyze complex information, identify relationships among strategic choices, and articulate thoughtful conclusions when given the appropriate structure and support.

Building on the success of this three‑city pilot, Mentoring Mission is exploring the development of a Global Case Challenge that would connect students across countries through shared case discussions, cross‑cultural analysis, and collaborative presentations.

Founder Carol Valentino‑Barry reflected on the year’s expansion:

“These sessions showed that students in Birmingham, Rome, and Tokyo can engage with the same sophisticated strategic questions while bringing their own perspectives to the discussion. Our goal is to ignite curiosity — not to fill vessels, but to spark something lasting.”

She added:

“As Socrates said, ‘Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.’ That is why our parent organization is named ACCENDE — Latin for to ignite.”

Mentoring Mission welcomes inquiries from Harvard Business School alumni, business professionals, and educators interested in facilitating future case‑method sessions or supporting the development of the Global Case Challenge.

Schools interested in hosting a case‑method program are also invited to contact Mentoring Mission.

Mentoring Mission is a Chicago‑based nonprofit founded by Carol Valentino‑Barry. The organization connects business leaders, educators, and students through case studies, mock interviews, entrepreneurship panels, mentorship initiatives, and aviation workforce‑development programs.

Mentoring Mission partners with schools in Illinois, Alabama, North Carolina, Wisconsin, California, Italy, Japan, and Turkey, supported by a growing network of Harvard Business School alumni volunteers.

Mentoring Mission is an independent nonprofit organization. References to Harvard Business School describe the cases, instructional methodology, or alumni affiliations involved and do not imply institutional sponsorship or endorsement.

The website is www.mentoringmission.org.
Contact Carol Valentino-Barry, Executive Director, at carolvalentinobarry@gmail.com

# # #