MBA Consulting for Social and Environmental Impact

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As Vice President of Impact Consulting for UCLA Anderson’s Net Impact Club, I led two programs—the Net Impact Consulting Challenge (NICC) and the Social Impact Consulting Corps (SICC)—to mobilize 121 MBA students in delivering pro-bono consulting to 26 nonprofit and social enterprise clients. Through these engagements, we supported organizations advancing social and environmental justice, expanding their capacity to amplify impact in their communities.

2. IMPORTANCE
I chose this project because I believe in the power of business skills to advance environmental and social equity. Many nonprofits face resource constraints that limit their ability to fully realize their mission. By organizing student consulting efforts, I sought to bridge that gap—connecting MBA talent to purpose-driven organizations that often cannot afford traditional consulting services.

3. IMPACT AND REACH
In total, 121 students participated in NICC and SICC, contributing about 5,200 hours of consulting support. We partnered with 26 organizations, including environmental nonprofits, community health advocates, and workforce development enterprises. Project outcomes included go-to-market strategies, financial models, program impact assessments, and operational scaling plans—all delivered pro-bono. These efforts directly strengthened the organizational capacity and sustainability of our clients.

4. COLLABORATIONS
I coordinated with Net Impact board members, Anderson’s Center for Impact, two directors who shadowed me, and external partners to design and execute both programs. Clients ranged from local grassroots nonprofits to global social enterprises. I also launched a new mentorship partnership with alumni in the Impact Fellows program, embedding experienced impact consulting practitioners into student teams for coaching and accountability.

5. YOUR ROLE WELL DEFINED
I served as the lead organizer and program manager for both consulting initiatives. I recruited clients, selected and matched student teams, developed training content, facilitated advisor support, and led stakeholder communications. While the programs existed prior to my tenure, I expanded their scale, added new structure and feedback loops, and formalized alumni involvement—taking the role well beyond coordination and into programmatic leadership.

6. OPTIONAL NEXT STEPS
Since I am graduating, I am not able to stay involved in the role I’ve held. To ensure continuity, one of my directors who I worked closely with over the past year took over the role. I also intend to return and support the program as an Impact Fellow once I’ve formalized my consulting career and had opportunities to focus on impact consulting.