Becoming an expert consultant - in just 5 weeks

Design Thinking, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
August 14, 2020

When internships and summer jobs were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, Denison pivoted to provide students and graduates with our exclusive Summer Accelerator 2020, intensive education around business and entrepreneurship, academic mini-courses on a wide range of topics, and a level-up leadership challenge for student leaders.

More than 600 students engaged with faculty, alumni, and parents, as well as academic and business professionals across a spectrum of fields during the five-week program. The Red Frame Lab provided virtual internships for more than 100 students.

It’s been a big treat working with the team! They did work like new associates at Bain Consulting.”

As Red Frame Consultants, they gained real-world experience while being supported, coached, and mentored at every turn by a facilitation group of staff, alumni, and business leaders. Partnering on a variety of real-world projects, students worked in small groups to take business problems from start to solution.

Projects included: analyzing data, building tools for supply chain and supplier evaluation, developing marketing strategies, conducting market research, examining brand assets, reframing brand connections to customers, developing a better web user experience, and helping small businesses respond to the effects of COVID-19.

Student responses:

“Because of Red Frame Consulting, I have a job working for a consultancy. I will be working with a woman who manages high profile clients and I will be working with the clients directly.”

“I have strengthened my problem solving and communication skills and feel more prepared in entering the workforce.”

Client responses:

“I could not have been more pleased with the process and the outcome. The team was amazing, and the work product they delivered was above and beyond my expectations, and could easily have been the work of far more seasoned professionals.”

“It’s been a big treat working with the team! They did work like new associates at Bain Consulting.”

Data from the program:

  • 102 students across 25 different majors participated
  • 46 teams worked with 38 clients
  • 33 alumni hosted 146 one-on-one coaching sessions
  • 7 offers (and growing) by clients for students to continue working with their client this summer
  • 11 alumni speakers on innovation, market research, women’s leadership, and advice from founders/CEOs
  • 10 professional development sessions on project management, branding, design thinking, research, pitching, and presentations
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