University of Iowa – JPEC
By University of Iowa Staff
Entrepreneurial Management Institute (EMI), students serve as consultants to Iowa business organizations and entrepreneurs. They collaborate as a team with company leaders to develop unique strategic market research, competitive analysis, and financial assessments. Participation is a win-win, as students earn three semester hours of credit and gain real-world experience, while the participating businesses obtain valuable information, develop mentoring relationships and identify potential new hires.
Here’s how it works. Consulting services are provided by teams of 3-5 University of Iowa students, and are guided by a faculty advisor with extensive business experience. Teams are selected based on their areas of study and personal interests. In the first weeks of the semester, teams meet with the client to determine the scope of the project.
The EMI curriculum is designed for maximum performance for the client. Regularly scheduled meetings update clients with progress reports and appraisals. The final report is presented by each team, complete with findings and recommendations. Professionalism and confidentiality are part of the consulting process and are graded components of the class.
One recent participating business reports “We had an excellent experience with our student teams. The students have been outstanding, and their market analysis report was terrific. We are still using it when analyzing our competitors.” (Kamath/Cardiostrong)
The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) offers students three hands-on programs: Entrepreneurial Management Institute (EMI), Iowa Innovation Associates (IIA), and Institute for International Business (IIB). These experiential opportunities allow students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world situations, plus affording them professional connections across the state.
If you’d like to find out more about how your business can take advantage of these services, please visit the Iowa JPEC website: https://www.iowajpec.org/community/business-consulting or contact the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center in Iowa City at 319-335-1022 or at [email protected].
