Student Projects - Turner Center

Our students are among our best assets in helping companies start and grow their businesses. Businesses get access to fresh perspectives and hours of hard work, all with the supervision of our faculty. Detailed here are the student projects most often used by businesses. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Our students are among our best assets in assisting small businesses to improve strategies and enhance operational effectiveness.

The Senior Consulting Project is one of the oldest continuously running student consulting projects in the nation. It was started in the early 1970s as the Small Business Institute (SBI) and was funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Though by the mid 1990’s the SBA no longer supported the SBI program, the SBI at Bradley University had become one of the largest in the country. The college agreed the experiential learning from the SBI was too impactful to eliminate the consulting projects. The SBA was renamed The Senior Consulting Project. Our projects have received national attention from the Small Business Institute.

The consulting project is a 16-week class completed by a team of five or six students enrolled in their required Capstone Course. Depending on the class size, 12 to 15 projects can be completed each semester. There are two semesters each year. Project applications are submitted throughout the year and are reviewed on a rolling basis. Project selection is a two-stage process: The Consulting Project Committee provides an initial assessment of the projects to the business faculty; the approved applications are then presented to the business students, who make the final selection. Successfully chosen projects are a true collaboration between the student team and the client. In this regard, the committee gives greater consideration to projects that challenge the student teams to apply a range of program concepts and analytical frameworks. More meaningful projects also tend to include a primary data component in the form of a survey, series of interviews, or focus groups.

Students generally choose their clients during the second week of class. An Illinois SBDC staff member will contact the client. The client is required to attend a brief virtual “SCP Program Overview” before the students contact and meet their client. When the student team meets with their client, they develop the project scope. This process familiarizes the student team with the industry and current trends and practices occurring within it. Following the definition of the project scope, the students perform the industry or market assessment.

Please be advised that the number of applications received generally exceeds the number of projects needed in a semester. Consequently, even strong applications may not initially be selected. In those instances, the application will remain “active” and be presented to student teams the following semester.

The consulting projects are provided at no cost to companies that meet the SBA definition of a small business (generally 500 employees or less).

Purpose of a Senior Consulting Project:

To provide students with an authentic, real-world business problem, or opportunity for analysis and recommendations. This business consulting experience allows students to apply their skills and experience by identifying relevant issues, analyzing alternatives, and making recommendations.
To support local businesses by offering the consulting services of a team of four to six talented students who combine their business experience with the lessons learned during their Bradley education. This assistance benefits companies by contributing to improved strategies and enhanced operational effectiveness.

Following are the Senior Consulting Project deliverables to the client:

A thorough, professionally written report with detailed analyses and specific recommendations. The document will include a problem definition, substantial fact-based analysis, recommendations, and implementation suggestions.
An oral presentation of the team’s findings to the client, including thorough discussion and any needed follow-up.
At the end of the semester, the client will be asked to complete a Client Satisfaction Survey to assess the team’s work.

The student project is the cornerstone of the Marketing Research course, providing students with hands-on experience in conceptualizing, designing, and implementing marketing research. The topics covered in class include problem definition, leveraging primary and secondary data sources, data collection techniques, measurement, sampling, and data analysis. The project will be completed during the course, and the students will present their findings at the end of the semester.

This student project provides a cybersecurity audit, including a penetration vulnerability test and an extensive review of their technical vulnerability. This directly supports the client’s compliance with required cybersecurity standards to qualify for government contracts. This course provides students with hands-on experience with all phases of a security assessment for a live client. Students are responsible for planning the assessment, executing assigned tasks, and reporting results. Course Overview: Students enrolled in the course are members of the Bradley Red Team. Each student is responsible for planning the assessment, executing assigned tasks, and reporting results. This course is conducted in three phases throughout the semester: Planning, Task Execution, and Report Generation. During the planning process, students will identify relevant tasks and be assigned to project teams responsible for assessing the client’s physical security, network security, organizational policies, and susceptibility to social engineering.

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From Idea to Impact

Engaging with the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship was the turning point for my startup. The practical workshops on financial modeling and marketing filled critical gaps in my knowledge, while the mentorship program provided the guidance and confidence I needed to move forward. Thanks to their direct support, I successfully secured my first round of seed funding and launched my company. It’s an invaluable resource for any aspiring founder in the community.

John Doe
Former Student

What truly sets the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship apart is the incredible community they’ve built. Beyond the outstanding curriculum and expert-led workshops, it was the connections I made with fellow entrepreneurs and seasoned mentors that proved most valuable. Being surrounded by a network of innovators who genuinely want to see you succeed created an environment of collaboration and motivation that was simply electric.

Jane Doe
Small Business Owner