Corporate and Community Partners

Involvement Opportunities for our Corporate and Community Partners

  1. The supply of high quality consulting assignments: Participating organizations supply fully scoped high impact projects and supporting data, which the organization needs resolved but cannot undertake currently. Welch College of Business & Technology: Provides a qualified student team deeply grounded in the underpinning business theories, and faculty mentors selected for their expertise in the project area. students listening to corporate presentation
  2. Corporate and community partners: Management contact person willing to meet with students throughout the semester as needed (manager/student contact should be at least six times per semester). Meetings may be via audiovisual technology such as Skype, WebEx, etc. WCOB partner: At least one faculty advisor per student team, the problem-based learning lab director and outside subject matter experts.
  3. Subject matter experts (SMEs) or practitioners on consulting projects: SMEs would be required to make themselves available to supervise WCOB students on consulting projects. 

Benefits for the Corporate and Community Partners

  1. A chance for the organization to get high-quality, cost-effective business solutions for business problems through a network of otherwise costly industry experts. students listening to corporate presentation
  2. First opportunity to hire from the WCOB PBL program given the organization’s first-hand experience working with WCOB students.
  3. The PBL program allows businesses to focus on their key priorities while outsourcing complex back-office analytics and project work.
  4. An increased profile of the organization within the local community (Fairfield County).
  5. Ensures quality advice from faculty advisors with significant consulting/business experience.
  6. Offers dedicated analytical review on key strategic issues.

List of current PBL projects

How to Become a Corporate Partner

Requirements to Become a Corporate/Community Partner

For a successful project, the following requirements are recommended for participation: corporate presentation at Sacred Heart

  • Complete and submit the online Application for Participating Firms.
  • Complete and submit a W-9_Form_PDF.
  • The project assignment is approved by the WCOB PBL Committee as appropriate and can reasonably be completed in the allotted project time (usually one semester). Approval of projects will depend, in part, on the client willingness and ability to provide complete information, including sufficient financial data, as well as fund potential out of pocket expenses for items such as marketing databases. All information will be kept confidential.
  • The client must meet with students at least six times to discuss the project in a free and open manner.  Video conferencing is recommended if the participating firm is unable to be present in person.
  • The participating firm will provide feedback to the students after the completion of the project, presentation and final report.
  • Participating firm referrals may come from various local sources.

Types of Participating Firms

The Sacred Heart University Business Incubator will host five types of businesses in the Welch Incubator. These business types are as follows:

  • Large for profit businesses
  • Non-profit businesses through a partnership with the Center for Non-Profit Management
  • University businesses through a partnership with select SHU campus businesses
  • Local small businesses
  • Entrepreneurial start-ups