The Mike Ilitch School of Business partners with Share Detroit to host first annual consulting day for nonprofits

As an engaged member of our greater Detroit community, the Mike Ilitch School of Business is proud to partner with those who are working to bring Detroit forward to the benefit of everyone.

As a part of our shared responsibility for our community, we are pleased to announce that on Friday, January 26, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., an array of nonprofit organizations from across the metro Detroit area have been invited to the Mike Ilitch School of Business for our first annual Consulting Day for Nonprofits.

The event will include a keynote address from Carlynn D. Nichols, Chief Clinical Officer at The Children's Center on strategic planning for nonprofits, after which the attending institutions will participate in consulting sessions with faculty led Ilitch School students discussing issues, problems and solutions for these significant community leaders.

During the sessions, the participating organizations will have a chance to meet with student consulting groups to receive insights into marketing, finance, accounting, supply chain, technology, management and more, with appropriate faculty oversight.

The participating organizations were recruited through SHARE Detroit, a community engagement conduit that helps connect nonprofits, businesses and the community members they serve. The goal of the event is to enhance Ilitch School of Business student experiential learning while working in a positive way with our colleagues across Detroit.

Nonprofit Consulting Day was organized by Kevin Ketels, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management and Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation program. He sees this as an opportunity to connect the Ilitch School of Business with the larger Detroit community and provide a unique and valuable experience for students in the program.

"Engaging the community outside of the classroom allows us to learn not just about the principles of business and administration, but about life," says Ketels. "This is even more meaningful when we can make an impact."

Share Detroit has been collaborating with Wayne State University since its inception in 2021. "We truly value the partnership Share Detroit and WSU have created to support students and nonprofits alike. Whether it be Alternative Spring Break efforts, internships or group consulting efforts, WSU and its students bring so much to the table in support of Metro Detroit nonprofits. We are excited for this Consulting Day event!" says SHARE Detroit Executive Director Janette Phillips.

Ilitch School Dean Virginia Kleist is also excited about this new initiative. "This is such a rewarding opportunity for us to share the thought leadership of the faculty of the Ilitch School of Business by working with students and those organizations that work tirelessly to 'do good' in our own community. It is important to me that our students learn about giving back and the concept of the greater good as a part of their time studying with us. Our students will greatly benefit from networking with nonprofit representatives and may discover a passion they never knew they possessed. We thank Share Detroit for being so gracious as to allow this experiential learning engagement to go forward, giving us the opportunity to partner with community leaders as together we educate the socially responsible citizens of tomorrow," says Kleist.

The event is sponsored by the Mike Ilitch School of Business Entrepreneurship and Innovation program, SHARE Detroit and the Wayne State Humanities Clinic. If you would like to register as a nonprofit or as a student, click here to start the process. For more information, contact Kevin Ketels at krk@wayne.edu.