The Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) is an experiential learning opportunity for students to work on consulting engagements with businesses and nonprofits around the world. First-year and second-year MBAs work in teams to assist client organizations with challenges across a number of industries and fields such as marketing, strategy, and operations. The program also includes courses with Fuqua faculty to learn the best tips and tricks to succeed in this role. FCCP culminates with a final presentation to the client to share recommendations.

Why did I join?

Coming from a career in merchandising in the retail industry, I never had experience with consulting. I came to business school to begin a career in marketing, and FCCP allowed me to get hands-on experience consulting on a real-world marketing problem facing a huge organization. To me, this was invaluable and proved to be a great way to better understand the marketing challenges that organizations face, and also to get my first experience with a consulting project.

What was my experience?

I worked on a project for the U.S. Polo Association (USPA) to increase its marketing outreach to women. USPA was looking for creative ways to reach new consumers and share information about gender equality in the sport of polo. My team did industry research, analyzed internal USPA data, and completed a competitive analysis to develop short-term and long-term strategic recommendations. We were able to impact a number of marketing initiatives from social media to large scale events.

What were your biggest takeaways?

During this experience, I learned an immense amount about marketing for a large organization. However, I think the most impactful learning was the skillset needed to execute a consulting project from start to finish. It taught me about project management which helped me greatly in my summer internship at Frito-Lay. Additionally, it gave me experience presenting key recommendations and insights to C-suite executives. FCCP was one of the most impactful and educational experiences I have had at Fuqua, and it greatly equipped me for future success in my career.