Students in the Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.) program at the Edwards School of Business are using the skills and expertise they've acquired to complete management consulting projects for clients in the business community. COMM 448.3: Management Consulting Project has been offered as COMM 498.3 for the past two years and the instructor is now accepting applications for the next offering in January 2014.

Students in their fourth and/or final year of the program are encouraged to apply by contacting Vince Bruni-Bossio at bruni-bossio@edwards.usask.ca.

A student who completed the class shares his experience below and credits the class as one of the reasons he received a job offer from a multi-national firm.

Quotes from students who have completed the Management Consulting Project class:

“Comm 498 [448] helped me gain real life knowledge and experience through working with real clients. It is completely different than any project I completed in my other business classes. The feeling of making an actual impact on a business is absolutely wonderful. We were always reminding ourselves that the companies paid for these projects - meaning we could not let them, ourselves, the instructor or the Edwards School of Business down. My group got nominated for the scholarship at the end of the semester and we had to present to judges. It was a stressful presentation and project altogether, but we just kept reminding outselves that this is how the real work-world runs. This class taught me so much, and I will carry this experience with me and on my resume for many years to come.”

-Carly Neil

“The greatest part of this project was to have absolute full control over our output, not only in our final product, but also in creating our own timeline and deliverables. The experience taught me a lot about how to apply my knowledge in an independent setting.”

-Carson Widynowski

“COMM 498 [448] is not just a class, it's an opportunity to network with local business. You will also have a chance to discover different industries and how to interact with business people effectively. It's time to prove what you have learned from Edwards! “

-Jennifer Hung

"Comm 498 [448] put my skills and knowledge to the test. It pushed me beyond my limits to successfully complete the project. This class gave me the opportunity to be totally accountable for the work I completed. To call this project our own filled us with excitement and nerves to see what would happen next! It was a privilege to be a part of this amazing experience. Faculty, fellow students and business individuals are always interested in hearing about this course. I highly recommend this course if you are wanting a challenge that will reward you in your future endeavors".

-Satyanand (Sham) Dursun

“Taking the Comm 498 [448] class was one of the best experiences I have ever had.  Being able to work for an actual client was an amazing experience, and one that I would recommend to anyone thinking about taking this class.  I have considered consulting as a career as a result of being in this class, and the advice and mentoring I have received makes this class the best and most rewarding you can hope to be part of.”

-Lacy Grambo

“I highly recommend the course to all Edwards students. It is well worth the work, in fact at the end of the day it probably equals an equivalent regular class, but without the textbook or tests. You are judged on your project performance just like the real world and I wish more classes were like this.

Hands on, ground level market research was an invaluable learning experience for me. Aside from that I gained contacts, and more importantly it was a huge resume booster and was very helpful in landing my current job.

Not overlooked in this at all is the instructor. Vince did a great job in guiding us. I thank you and appreciate it! Even on Christmas day you were there to help! Solid!”

-Ryley Iverson

“In the process of obtaining my B.Comm. at the Edwards School of Business, I focused on opportunities where I was engaged in the business community. By working to define the specifications of my project instead of being given them, and working with an industry I was unfamiliar with, the Management Consulting Project class definitely provided some challenges. I appreciated advice given by Vince Bruni-Bossio while figuring out the direction and deliverables of the project and would recommend this course for anyone looking to lessen the gap between school and business. As a recent graduate, including this experience on my resume was beneficial when securing my current position.”

-Mary Panteluk

“For me the class was a great way to take ownership of a project and use everything you have learned in your past few years in Commerce courses towards something tangible.  It is not just another course with a group assignment where you work on a case - or even a real company - that will never see your ideas for their business.  You can take ownership of your work and proudly present your ideas and plans to a real business that will actually consider, and hopefully implement, your plan for their organization's improvement.  The best part is when you can see your hard work actually being executed by the company and knowing that you made a difference for them.”

-Jenna MacIntyre

“COMM 498 [448] helped my build the professional confidence required to be successful in the business community. The course allowed me to push all boundaries set by traditional assignments and helped me to realize what an impact my education had on my way of thinking. The class has now provided me with a unique experience that has now helped me set the direction that I plan to take my career.”

-Leah Hoffarth

---------------------------------------------------

March 12, 2012

Dear Mr. Bruni-Bossio,

Recently I have had the opportunity to have an interview with ISNetworld. The first interview was conducted in Saskatoon; from there they flew me down to their head office in Dallas, TX for an interview with their top employees and executives. Amongst getting there myself and 4 other Canadians were greeted by 115 other students, all of which were from an ivy league school or comparable. Out of the 5 Canadians 4 had connections to the Edwards School of Business. Two of us are currently finishing up our last year, one graduated in December and the fourth graduated a few years prior and was working in Ottawa. In the opening of the interviews the president had mentioned they had combed through 1500 applications, conducted over 500 interviews at 27 different schools  and narrowed it down to the 120 students that where in attendance.

The experience that I had with ISN was remarkable. I feel that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to experience a company such as this without the knowledge that I have gained from Edwards. From the beginning when you (Vince) helped with my resume, the insightful “hints” that you gave me before I left, all the way to the exceptional experiential knowledge that I have gained through the Management Consulting Course, I have been able to compete fully with the likes of Ivey league individuals. I had full confidence in my knowledge and was not afraid to put it to the test in conversations with fellow applicants or the executives from ISN.

In Dallas the Canadian applicants had the opportunity to go for supper together, and during supper we discussed how we were able to compete with the best schools in North America, and how Edwards should be proud that out of all the Canadian interviews they conducted, 4 out of the 5 had graduated from Edwards.

I am now proud to say that after graduation I will be employed with ISN in their Calgary office. It is no doubt in my mind that the help with the resume, the knowledge learnt during the Management Consulting Project class, and the purchase of business cards from Edwards Career Services, has helped me gain employment with a great international firm.

If you could, please pass this letter on to show my appreciation of the value gained from Edwards.

Sincerely,

Brett Polanik
Final Year, Management
Edwards School of Business