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STAR for corporate partners

Engage the brightest minds to improve business performance.

Student teams solve your business challenges.

Are you looking for new ideas in revenue generation, product development or branding? Are you considering entering a new global market and want to understand market trends and creative opportunities?

Would an independent, data-driven assessment of your plans help improve your strategy? Enhancing Coca Cola’s approach to market in Asia. Helping NASCAR reach new audiences. Crafting an innovative solution to a sustainability issue for Procter & Gamble. Creating a new business strategy for GlaxoSmithKline. Developing a business plan for a women’s hospital in Africa. These are just a few examples of the almost 450 deliverables the STAR student consulting program has generated for its corporate partners since 2005.

"The STAR team did an incredible job presenting a compelling and complete set of recommendations. I was impressed with how engaged they were throughout the entire project. It was a pleasure to work with such a great group of students"

Chris Burns, Strategy Manager Advance Auto Parts

Engage the brightest minds and build your brand with top talent.

As a STAR corporate partner, you benefit from the exceptional minds of our top, diverse business students from the MBA and Undergraduate Business programs. A dedicated team of 5-6 students, guided by a senior faculty advisor, works closely with you for 14 weeks to conduct research and develop a data-driven, innovative solution.

STAR student teams address real and complex challenges in strategy, branding, marketing, sustainability, operations, human resources and other areas across industries and functions, whether domestic or global in nature. STAR teams do not work on site, but connect with you in-person (for one or more site visits) and virtually.

Consider the STAR program your most cost-effective and high-caliber consulting service with the added value of building your brand among the brightest of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s talent.

A proven approach yields actionable insights.

STAR teams follow the McKinsey Engagement’s TEAM FOCUS methodology to address your business challenge. They receive comprehensive training in this hypothesis-driven approach, systematic data gathering and effective teamwork. As a result, they craft exceptional recommendations for you. Students earn course credit for this intensive learning experience.

Sample Final Presentation: To request a sample final slide deck of recommendations, please contact us at star@unc.edu.

Confidentiality: STAR recognizes the importance of maintaining confidentiality of your project and data. To solidify the relationship with you, we enter into non-disclosure and service agreements.

STAR formats: With the exception of the in-person project Launch in Chapel Hill in January and, ideally, at least one visit by the student team to your location, you can engage with the team in person, completely virtual, or a mix of both. If your project requires the students to travel abroad, the team will do so in early May.

Timing: The entire project runs January to late April/early May with the formal project launch taking place all day on a Saturday in late January in Chapel Hill.

Program fee: The STAR fee ranges from $30,000 to $35,000 plus travel and research expenses, if needed (e.g., team travel to your location and/or access to a survey tool). A project that includes student travel abroad has a higher fee.

"The overall experience with the STAR program was top tier. While we were working with a mix of graduate and undergraduate students, the caliber of work could rival the output of a reputable consulting firm."

Santino Certo, Vice President of Marketing Arla Foods

Submit your project

Please contact us to discuss potential projects – it is an iterative process. To participate in the STAR program, you will submit a brief project description online. The STAR program confirms the corporate partnership by late fall for projects conducted the following spring. While it might happen, it is rare that we cannot match a viable project with a team of students.

Contact us to talk about your business challenges and how a STAR team can help.

Submit your application HERE by October 1 (first deadline) or October 20 (second deadline) for a spring project.

STAR brochures showcase the program.