An Afternoon of Strategy and Professional Development

Tuesday afternoon focused on strengthening interns' professional skills while giving them additional time to advance their consulting projects for their Nigerian business partners. Through career workshops, business presentations, team collaboration, and mentor guidance, students continued building the knowledge and experience needed to create meaningful solutions for the businesses they are supporting.

The afternoon began with LinkedIn and Resume Building, led by Carmen Danley. During the session, interns learned how to create professional resumes that effectively communicate their skills and accomplishments while tailoring them to different career opportunities. Carmen also walked students through building strong LinkedIn profiles, highlighting the importance of networking, personal branding, and presenting leadership experiences professionally and authentically.

Following the workshop, interns returned to their consulting teams for focused work time. Teams reviewed their research, refined project ideas, delegated responsibilities, and continued developing recommendations that address the unique needs of their Nigerian business partners. The work session gave students an opportunity to collaborate closely while preparing for the presentations later in the week.

Next, Wendy Zajack presented Advertising, Effective Sales Techniques, and Customer Service Excellence. Interns explored how businesses can grow by understanding their customers, building strong relationships, and creating effective marketing strategies. The session emphasized the importance of customer satisfaction, brand awareness, and communication, encouraging students to think about how these concepts could strengthen the recommendations they are developing for their partner businesses.

The afternoon continued with Financial Management, Budgeting, Pricing Strategies, and Managing Cash Flow, presented by Adedoyin Akande. Students learned how budgeting, pricing decisions, and cash flow management contribute to a business's long term success. The presentation highlighted the importance of making informed financial decisions and challenged interns to consider how sound financial planning can support sustainable business growth.

To conclude the afternoon, interns met with their mentors to discuss the progress of their consulting projects. These one on one and small group conversations provided an opportunity to receive personalized feedback, ask questions, and refine both their business recommendations and presentation strategies. Mentors shared valuable advice that will help interns continue improving their projects as they prepare for their final presentations.

By the end of the day, interns had continued making meaningful progress both professionally and as consultants. Through business-focused learning, collaborative teamwork, and mentor support, they gained new tools and perspectives that will help them deliver thoughtful, impactful recommendations to their Nigerian business partners.