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Applied Strategy Projects

Applied Strategy is a full-time MBA core curriculum course each of our first-year students participates in during their second quarter. This is a hands-on, consulting-type applied learning experience where teams of MBAs drive and deliver creative solutions to a critical business challenge proposed by a company.

At Foster, we prioritize learning-by-doing and offer Applied Strategy as a way for our MBAs to:

  • Expand industry knowledge and skills
  • Grow leadership capabilities and executive presence
  • Network and receive mentoring from industry and business experts

Foster partners with businesses of interest to our students – as you can see in the long list below – to engage in projects they propose for teams of MBAs to address their current and relevant needs.

See a select list of past client companies below.

Adobe
Alaska Airlines
Alliance of Angels
Apptio
Avvo
Amazon
Boeing
Boys & Girls Club
CDK Digital Marketing
Code Fellows
Concur
Costco
Dell EMC
Disney
Dolby
Dry Soda Co.
Eddie Bauer
Egencia, an Expedia Company
Evolent Health
Expeditors International
F5 Networks
Foss Maritime
Getty Images
GM Nameplate
Google
Groundspeak
Group Health Cooperative
Holland America Line
Intel
Isernio’s Sausage
K2 Corporation
Landesa
La Panzanella
Marchex
Medamonitor/LEVL
Microsoft
National Park Service
Nike
Outdoor Research
PACCAR
Philips
Planetary Power
Providence Health & Services
Puget Sound Energy
REI
Saltchuk
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Seattle Opera
SightLife
Skanska
Starbucks
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Talking Rain
T-Mobile
Vulcan
Volt Athletics
Wells Fargo Bank
West Monroe Partners
Weyerhaeuser
Wunderman
Xbox
YMCA

How it works

You get to select the projects you’re interested in…

MBA Students will be given the list of project companies and scope descriptions to identify the projects that align with their careers interests and select those their top choices to apply. Project teams and assignments will be announced before the winter break so students can be introduced and start driving their projects as soon as the winter quarter begins!

You’ll focus time on driving your project while receiving the support you need…


Rather than a regularly scheduled set of class sessions, students will meet directly with their client sponsors to drive the project while receiving targeted team support for our Foster Faculty Advisor, Professor Russell Walker.

Students draw from their prior work experience and new MBA skillsets, bringing an outside perspective and immediate value to the sponsoring organizations.

MBA Voices from 2022 & 2023

Applied strategy not only gave us unrivaled access and partnership with Seattle’s top global companies but thoughtfully taught us how to collaborate with future clients and potential employers.
Really a good experience with a team working on a project from zero, building on what we learned from the program to make real impact on the community!
My Applied Strategy project was a great way to learn more about [a new] industry and also about a technical area I had never worked with before. Our project sponsor was really enjoyable to work with and we got some behind-the-scenes looks at how [the company] operates.
The resources and support provided throughout the project were exceptional. I had access to existing documentation and tools, as well as relevant meetings and introductions to subject matter experts. The mentorship and advice provided were invaluable, and I felt fully supported and encouraged throughout the project.
Arranged by functional scope

Strategy

  • New business and product assessment
  • Customer/user experience journey mapping
  • Socially responsible and sustainable business solution assessment
  • Cost benefit analysis

Market Research / Marketing Strategy

  • Market research and new product positioning
  • Optimized target customer segmentation and market-sizing
  • Competitor marketing analysis and messaging recommendations
  • Customer lifetime value analysis and recommendations for growth
  • Communications and marketing plans for strategic initiatives

Finance/Business Planning

  • Industry payment terms benchmarking for optimization
  • Landscape assessment and recommendations for increased profitability

Read about previous Applied Strategy projects