Students Dive Into Global Manufacturing With Mark Burgess '81
TK
video by Stephen Munchel
A tour of Mauser Packaging Solutions gives students a front-row look at what it takes to make a manufacturing powerhouse
On a visit to Mauser Packaging Solutions in York, Pennsylvania, last semester, students from Dickinson's Burgess Institute for the Global Economy stepped behind the scenes of one of the world's leading sustainable packaging companies.
Led by the institute's commitment to hands-on business experiences, the tour offered future leaders a firsthand look at the intricacies of manufacturing, operations and sustainability in an industry that powers everything from oil cans to 55-gallon drums.
Mark Burgess '81, CEO of Mauser and the visionary benefactor behind the Burgess Institute, welcomed the group and shared insights into the company's global scale.
"[Students] got to see what it's like to be in a factory on a day-to-day basis,” he said of the excursion, “and what the importance of collaboration is, automation, engineering and the fact that there's a lot of complication, a lot of things that need to work together to make a successful operation."
Launched in fall 2024, the Burgess Institute empowers students across all majors with practical skills in global business, leadership and innovation, blending Dickinson's liberal arts foundation with real-world opportunities like site visits and alumni networking.
Reflecting on the tour's value, Burgess emphasized its role in preparing students for dynamic careers: "I don't know that a lot of institutions are doing what the Burgess Institute is attempting to do, which is provide these extra skills other than just academics to part of their curriculum and ultimately get people better positioned for what it is that they're going to do when they graduate from Dickinson."
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Published January 22, 2026