Knowledge is a valuable commodity; the ability to apply it, even more so. With that in mind, the Zicklin School offers a Business Consulting program in its curriculum as a required capstone for MBA students.
The semester-long course consists of a month of project management–focused classroom study followed by three months of team-based consulting on real-time, real-world business challenges. Its overarching goal, says program director Anthony Farina, is to hone the students’ “platform skills”: problem analysis and problem solving, teamwork, and cogent written and oral communication, within teams and with clients. “These are ubiquitous business tools students need to succeed,” notes Farina, a former financial services professional with some 30 years of experience working with consultants.
New York City-based businesses and nonprofit entities solicit the student teams’ input on organization-defined problems. Clients have included global financial services company MasterCard, real estate giant Time Equities, and human resources consulting firm Astron Solutions, as well as alumni-connected startups and small concerns. So far, nearly 400 students have developed and presented actionable solutions to some 100 business problems for more than 30 unique organizations.
Aiding multiple teams is one of the program’s dedicated advisors, Art Chivvis, a former scientist, consulting practitioner, and Wall Street professional who helps them keep focused on the process and minimize inefficiencies. Chivvis lists an impressive array of deliverables produced by the “mature, driven, confident” students he coaches: a process flow analysis for a retail store, a go-to-market quantum computing strategy for a financial technology business, a business and organizational plan to increase market share for a wealth management organization, and a software product analysis that both determined the product was in the red and outlined plans to move it into the black.
Benefits are far-reaching. Students build experience in the practical application of classroom learning while showcasing their talents to prospective employers; and companies gain sound analysis of and solutions to business challenges. Even the course curriculum benefits: One of the program’s consulting cases will soon be taught in the classroom alongside the Harvard Business School Publishing case studies currently comprising the syllabus—enhancing the class’s real-world relevance for Zicklin students.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact:
Professor Anthony K. Farina, Director of Business Consulting
Phone: (917) 207-9170
Email: Anthony.Farina@baruch.cuny.edu