Stories from students,
faculty, staff, alumni, and
Seattle’s business community.

02 Mar 2016
, ,
0

Target Consulting Challenge 2016

 

Undergrad finalists & judges edited

Undergraduate Track Finalists & Volunteer Judges Panel

On Friday the 26th of February, the Consulting and Business Development Center hosted its annual Consulting Challenge sponsored by Target. Twenty undergraduate and eight graduate student teams from throughout the University of Washington participated in a week-long case competition to generate solutions designed to increase Target’s supplier diversity. While most teams were comprised of students from the Foster school, in the spirit of diversity, the Consulting Challenge was opened to students of all majors from the UW, as well as welcoming a team of student competitors from Yakima Valley Community College.

grad judges & finalists

Graduate Track Finalists & Volunteer Judges Panel

After spending a week examining the case and creating recommendations, teams were tasked with presenting their solutions to a panel of judges in a preliminary round. After an excellent showing during the preliminary round, the top five undergraduate teams and top two graduate teams were invited to present their solutions during the final round at the Intellectual House, a building designed with diversity in mind.

Upon arrival at the Intellectual House, teams were greeted by a curated panel of judges including professionals from across the State of Washington as well as representatives from Target, to critique their proposed solutions. The teams proved their mettle while presenting their solutions in a professional manner to an astute panel of judges, hailing from an eclectic array of business and educational backgrounds.

After seven spectacular presentations, the top teams from the undergraduate and graduate categories were chosen. Overall, the impact of the Consulting Challenge was consummately described by a competitor, “As a freshman, having the opportunity to participate in the Target Consulting Challenge was a valuable experience that allowed me to broaden my horizons, learn about new topics, and refine my public speaking skills, while gaining insight from upperclassmen and business professionals” – Kim Perdue.

By Arjun Naik

, ,

Leave a Reply

About the Undergraduate Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration builds foundational knowledge of business which students enhance with specialization in the fields of accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources, information systems, international business, marketing, and operations/supply chain management. In the classroom and out, students learn strategic approaches to working on and leading teams, practice critical thinking and analysis while cementing theoretical knowledge, and acquire work experience through internships.

Upcoming Undergrad Events

Undergraduate Strategy Development Competition

The undergraduate program at the Foster School partners with Seattle’s thriving and innovative business community to develop forward-looking, customized cases centered on a current strategic issue. The result of this partnership is a capstone course, Strategic Business Management, taken during one quarter of senior year, which positions student teams in front of executives to make formal presentations on their recommendations. Learn more.

About the Consulting & Business Development Center

The Consulting and Business Development Center takes business education out of the classroom and puts it to work in communities across Washington. Students provide valuable consulting to small businesses and non-profit organizations in underserved communities while business owners and non-profit leaders gain access to business education that creates jobs and changes lives.