Experiential learning is a cornerstone of the Rutgers Master of Business and Science (MBS) degree program, encouraging students to apply their knowledge outside of the classroom. For MBS student Soujanya Prabhakaran, that meant competing in the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) College Bowl—an academic competition that tests students’ knowledge of food science. Alongside her teammates, Prabhakaran helped Rutgers win the 2026 regional championship and advance to nationals.
After learning about the competition through IFT events and the Rutgers Food Science Graduate Student Association, she saw it as an opportunity to step beyond the classroom and test her knowledge in a new way.
Prabhakaran said, "IFT competitions and events are a huge part of being active in the food science community. I realized, ‘College Bowl is more of applying our coursework, trivia, and it sounds really fun. Why am I not on this team?’”
That determination led to a win at the IFT North Atlantic Regional Competition alongside teammates Alex Wong (team captain), Chris Wippich, and David Fritsche. The Rutgers team competed against strong teams like McGill, Cornell, and University of Massachusetts Amherst to secure the championship and will advance to the IFT FIRST Annual Event in Chicago this July.
Prabhakaran is an MBS student pursuing a concentration in Applied Food Science and Technology. She graduates in spring 2026. Currently, she works for the Rutgers MBS Externship Program and in the Food Engineering Lab at the Rutgers Department of Food Science, under the guidance of Dr. Mukund V. Karwe.
Learning in Motion
Started in 1985, the IFT College Bowl is a fast-paced, wide-ranging, and demanding competition. Questions span topics including food science and technology, the history of foods and food processing, food law, and general IFT/food-related trivia.
For the Rutgers team, preparation included continuous learning and practice.
“Much of our knowledge comes from classroom learning and applying those concepts,” said Prabhakaran. “Courses like Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, and Food Packaging helped me with subject-specific, application-based knowledge. There's a lot of new learning in the competition, too!”
For Prabhakaran, the highlight of the experience came during the final round.
“The final round was thrilling to say the least,” said Prabhakaran. “Recognizing questions from the exact moments they were taught in the classroom was particularly memorable.”
Growth Beyond the Win
While the championship was a proud achievement, Prabhakaran sees the experience as something much bigger.
“The College Bowl competition was a rewarding experience; it was more about learning to think on my feet, handle fast-paced questions, and work as a team, and it really challenged my thinking patterns,” said Prabhakaran. “I've benefited immensely from the mere preparation for this competition, and the win was the cherry on top.”
This opportunity for Prabhakaran opened doors to a broader professional community.
“Being part of an industry-specific organization, like IFT as a student member, offers great opportunities to network with industry professionals, students from other universities, alumni, and other food geeks.”
This experience had a lasting impact on Prabhakaran.
“Being more observant, analytical, and thinking critically comes with practice, and the competition was a great playground for that,” said Prabhakaran. “I wish I had been on the team last year; it would've given me more ways to expand my knowledge. Now you'd find me questioning, ‘Why are Pringles shaped that way?’”
As the team prepares for nationals in Chicago, Prabhakaran expressed gratitude for her teammates.
“I now feel honored and grateful to be a part of an amazing team that achieved this, and I'm thrilled to be in the nationals at IFT First in Chicago in July.”
The College Bowl showcased the next generation of food science professionals. Best of luck to the Rutgers team!