Consulting and Business Development Center

Highlights

The CBDC embodies what it means to be a business school committed to community impact. Established in 1995 by Dean and Professor Emeritus William D. Bradford, Professor Emeritus Thaddeus H. Spratlen, and MBA student (now Founding Director) Michael Verchot, the founding mission was to address real-world challenges and seize emerging opportunities for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. More than thirty years later, we now advance student careers while uplifting businesses. By engaging students with real-world challenges, we enable business growth and deliver lasting benefits for students, businesses, and the communities they serve.

• Programs that train graduate and undergraduate students to support small businesses directly, applying their knowledge to solve real-world challenges in areas like marketing, finance, and strategy.
• In collaboration with JPMorgan Chase, our Ascend National Cohort provides a path to growth for businesses through coaching, access to capital, and connections with markets.
• Workshops and training programs for business owners to grow critical management, financial, and strategic skills. The goal is to position them for success in competitive markets.
• Guided by our innovative M3 (M-Cubed) Model—management skills, access to capital, and market opportunities–businesses receive essential resources, and students gain hands-on experience.

More ways to get involved