Three Tulsa-area organizations received new technology tools this spring through the Business Information Systems (BIS) Capstone at The University of Tulsa, where senior students develop software solutions for real clients as the culminating experience of the BIS program.
For more than 25 years, the capstone project has paired student learning with community problem-solving. Students apply skills developed throughout the academic program while navigating technical issues, deadlines and changing client needs.
Applied Assistant Professor of Business Information Systems Steve McIntosh said seniors receive valuable training by solving operational challenges before graduating.
“Our BIS Capstone project is an amazing collaboration between UTulsa, Tulsa Area United Way, NTech Collaborative and our industry partners to provide a real-world experience for our students,” McIntosh said.
This year’s projects addressed data management, enrollment planning and food assistance operations.
For The Arc of Oklahoma, which provides advocacy, education and support to people with developmental disabilities and their families, students built the OKAIM BRIDGE system. The platform modernizes how client data is collected, managed and reported while improving accessibility and strengthening compliance.
For Crosstown Learning Center, which provides nationally accredited early care and learning for infants through pre-kindergarten, students expanded the organization’s waitlist and classroom management system. New forecasting tools help staff maximize enrollment and reduce wait times for families.
For Owasso Community Resources, which provides basic needs assistance to financially disadvantaged residents of Owasso and Collinsville, students created Project P.A.M., a web-based pantry administration system. The platform streamlines client check-in, reduces duplicate records and improves reporting used for grants and long-term service planning.
The BIS Capstone program has worked with Tulsa Area United Way and its partner agencies for more than 15 years, helping identify nonprofit needs that can become high-impact student projects.
At the end of the semester, teams present their work to faculty, clients and community stakeholders in a formal showcase.
“This is my favorite class because I can see the growth in confidence of our students over the semester and the pride in their accomplishments during their presentations,” McIntosh said.
Senior Luke Castaneda said the course was one of the most valuable projects during his time in UTulsa’s Collins College of Business.
“The BIS Capstone was one of the most practical and rewarding parts of my academic experience,” he said. “What made it especially meaningful was knowing our work had a tangible effect on the Tulsa community.”