MBA Students Take on Consulting for a Local Client

In LeBow’s latest graduate-level consulting course, MBA students enrolled in Business Consulting (MGMT 715) worked on a project for Centri Business Consulting, LLC, a mid-size accounting and advisory firm headquartered in Philadelphia, during winter quarter.

Led by George Tsetsekos, PhD, dean emeritus and George B. Francis Professor of Finance, the students undertook comprehensive analyses to provide industry insights and support Centri’s strategic goals.

The course, organized by the Dornsife Office for Experiential Learning as a project-based offering for students, was also part of the selection process for the Lawrie Advanced Global Leadership Program, an enhanced plan of study within the MBA program and open to currently enrolled full-time and part-time students.

Christopher Mora, BS accounting ’10, CPA, partner and capital markets practice leader at Centri, laid out a business scenario to the students at the start of the term, then fielded questions from students throughout the term before attending and receiving their final presentations.

“Working with the LeBow students provided Centri with some applicable, tactical activities to help drive growth in our business,” said Mora. “While our firm now has insights and next steps from our project that will provide us great value, the greatest value comes from the interaction and opportunity to work directly with LeBow’s students.”

As the students researched their recommendations and prepared their presentations, they received additional insights on careers in consulting through guest lectures from Jerry Maginnis, senior advisor, strategy & growth at Centri, and two members of LeBow’s Dean’s Advisory Board: Derreck Robinson ’93, managing director and national sales leader with Deloitte Consulting LLP and Carlos Moreira ’91, partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Dalton Whetstone, MBA ’22, who led hard-data research for his team, came away from the course with skills that he will employ in a full-time consulting position later this year.

“We really cast our net broadly and then focused it in on what we thought would be the best for Centri,” he said. “I learned how consulting is basically just the hiring of good minds. We had a problem and questions and had to figure out how to solve them. I definitely plan on taking this open perspective with me into my consulting role.”