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Diverse Supplier Development Program – Cohort 3 Application

Overall Program Expectations
Through this program, diverse small business owners will tap into a student project team to solve business challenges and expand their own knowledge through a series of workshops. The student teams will be executed and coordinated by Illinois Business Consulting (IBC), the nation's largest student-run professionally managed university consultancy in partnership with our universities. The program also offers monthly workshops led by our world-class faculty members and outside partner organizations. 

The time commitment for the entire program will be approximately 25 hours from August 2024 through May 2025.

There is no cost to participate in this program.
Workshop and Graduation Expectations
Participants are expected to make a commitment to attend and actively participate in monthly workshops and a program graduation.
  • Monthly workshops will generally be held virtually on the first Friday of the month from September through April from 9:00 am  – 10:00 am Central.
  • Participants, or a proxy designated by the owner of the business enrolled in the program, are expected to attend all workshops. Any unforeseen circumstances should be communicated to the the Diverse Supplier Development  Program Team prior to the workshop. Participants should plan to attend the in-person program graduation (on or near one of the University of Illinois System campuses) at the conclusion of the program in early May 2025.
Student Consulting Project Expectations
You will have some of the brightest students in the country working to solve the business challenges that you define upfront.  Participants are expected to meet the following expectations: 
  • Hold a weekly 60 minute call with the student team from August 15-December 15, 2024, if requested
  • Provide the team with a company point of contact
  • Stay within the project scope
  • Respond in a timely manner and provide access to necessary data
  • Provide clear feedback and direction without micromanaging
  • Students are not interns or employees for your organization. Allow them to follow the process and timeline prescribed in their course and by their faculty advisor
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