Nazarian College Students Win Big at Small Business Institute鈥檚 Project of the Year Competition
March 10, 2022
Nazarian College Students Win Big at Small Business Institute鈥檚 Project of the Year Competition by Grace Da Rocha
Four Nazarian College undergraduate and graduate Small Business Consulting teams placed within the top three of their respective categories at the Small Business Institute鈥檚 Project of the Year competition.聽
The Small Business Institute announced the results of their competition on Saturday, Feb. 26 at the 2022 SBI Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. 聽
Undergraduate students in the Business Honors Program placed in the 鈥淐onsulting鈥� and 鈥淐omprehensive鈥� categories this year. The Hipcooks team that helped the in-person Hipcooks culinary school with a digital branding campaign, placed first in the undergraduate 鈥淐onsulting鈥� category. It is the Business Honors Program鈥檚 second first-place finish in this category within the past three years.聽
In the undergraduate 鈥淐omprehensive鈥� category, the Redflight Innovation team placed second, marking the second year in a row that a Nazarian College program has placed in the top three of the event鈥檚 most competitive category. Students on this team worked with Redflight Innovation that offers a science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) kit to middle-school students with limited access to technology.聽
鈥淪eeing the student teams鈥� work receive national recognition is a credit to the quality of our program, the support of the Nazarian College, and the guidance provided by Dr. Foley,鈥� said Silvina Bamrungpong, director of the Business Honors Program. 鈥淭o say that as director of the program I am pleased and proud of our students and their work is an understatement.鈥�
Graduate students in the MBA Program entered two consulting projects for the SBI鈥檚 Project of the Year competition. 聽A project with client Kent Toussaint at the Teen Therapy Center placed first in the 鈥淕raduate Specialized鈥� category for marketing. The team focused on increasing awareness for the client鈥檚 counseling services and developing outreach strategies to teens and families. 鈥淭he team's hard work and dedication to this project and Dr. Beruchashvili鈥檚 advisement made all the difference,鈥� said Dr. Kristen Walker, marketing professor and director of the MBA program.
Another MBA team also won first place in the 鈥淕raduate Feasibility/Business Plan鈥� category. Advised by Dr. Walker, the team explored the gap in serving the technical assistance needs of small businesses in the San Fernando Valley. She noted the success of both teams, explaining how 鈥淣azarian MBA students continue to pay their experience forward to the community.鈥�
Between the undergraduate and graduate students, the Nazarian College was honored with four awards.聽
鈥淚 am so proud of our students and faculty,鈥� said Chandra Subramaniam, dean of the Nazarian College. 鈥淔or them to have helped these businesses and the communities they serve, as well as be honored at the national level for their work, is extraordinarily rewarding.鈥�