07/16/12 -  

In keeping with its focus on the "3Cs" of competence, character and commitment to community, each year McColl School graduate students in the Professional MBA, Executive MBA and MS in Organization Development programs engage in consulting projects with not-for-profit organizations across greater Charlotte.

Students work in small teams, under the guidance of a faculty member, to address a managerial challenge or problem facing a local organization. Among other projects, students have been tasked with evaluating a program's long-term sustainability, developing a marketing and communication plan, and mining for donor cultivation strategies by analyzing an organization's membership database.

For instance, a team of Executive MBA students are working with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte this summer to develop a volunteer recruitment and retention strategy.

Julie Moore, director of enrollment and match services for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte, said "The team has opened our eyes to analyzing our data in myriad ways we hadn't previously thought about. It's been a rewarding experience for us to work and learn together!"

Some of the organizations served by McColl School students include:

• American Red Cross
• Arts and Science Council
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte
• Charlotte Chamber
• Charlotte Symphony
• Community School of the Arts
• Dore Academy
• Justice Initiatives
• Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation
• Police Athletic League
• Promising Pages

Added Nancy McNelis, director of the Executive MBA program, "Not only does this provide a really welcome service to the community, it also gives McColl School students invaluable practice in addressing sophisticated management issues. And, it exposes them to people who serve on non-profit boards, which can be helpful as they grow and develop in their own leadership capacity."