Virginia Commonwealth University [View Image]School of Business

Does your organization have a goal you can't seem to reach? Before hiring an expensive consulting firm to solve your dilemma, consider employing the services of our business students and faculty. Our academic departments and Center for Corporate Education are here to help. 

Below are some established options. Contact us to discuss your specific needs.

Executive MBA Strategic Dilemma Project

Selected projects will be assigned to a five-to-six-person team of Executive MBA students who are completing their final degree requirements and average 14 years of prior work experience. A faculty advisor with expertise in the related topic is also assigned to each project. Additionally, the students will have access to several other VCU School of Business advisors.

The projects begin in January and conclude at the end of April, at which time the students present their findings and recommendations in both written and presentation form. Past participants have included Capital One, Markel Corp., Philip Morris and Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.

We are currently accepting applications for upcoming projects. Please complete the application by November 15, 2020.

Master of Decision Analytics Practicum

The practicum gives students education and training in data retrieval, cleaning, organizing, mining and analysis. Teams of six talented students undertake sponsored practicum projects each year. These projects, including data retrieval and organization as well as analysis, start in September and end the following April. A final presentation will occur at the end of the program in mid-May.

To propose a practicum project for the Master of Decision Analytics students, please complete the application and email it to Steve Custer, swcuster@vcu.edu.

International Consulting Program

Hosted each May, the VCU International Consulting Program offers an intensive two-week engagement with a student team and faculty advisor. Richmond area companies as well as international partners have the opportunity to be involved. Through this opportunity, students are given unique and innovative consulting projects to complete while being mentored and challenged by industry partners. Each ICP partner project is given a full presentation at the end of the program.  

Past participants have included King’s Dominion, CarLotz, Dominion Payroll and ANCOS.

To get involved, contact Laura Kottkamp, lekottkamp@vcu.edu.

Brandcenter

With the goal of developing the best creative problem-solvers in the world, the VCU Brandcenter offers a unique opportunity to work with expert graduate students and faculty to solve large-scale, strategic challenges. Consulting projects typically center on product creation, design and placement. Students from all five tracks of the master’s programs, art direction, copywriting, experience design, brand management and strategy work in teams on these projects each fall and spring semester.

Past participants have included Lexus, Pepsi and Under Armour.

To propose a project and work with the recently ranked #1 national brand program in the country, contact Ashley Sommerdahl at asommardahl@vcu.edu.

da Vinci Center

With the focus on engineering, arts and business combined, VCU da Vinci Center offers partner projects addressing product innovation and design. Teams are built of undergraduate students, with Masters of Product Innovation students serving as advisors for each team. Accepted projects are completed each semester and partners receive an in-depth presentation at the conclusion of their project.

Past participants have included Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, Altria and the Science Museum of Virginia.    

To propose a product innovation consulting project, contact Allison Schumacher, schumacheran@vcu.edu.