PTCMW Annual Graduate Student Consulting Challenge Competition

Welcome to the PTCMW Annual Graduate Student Consulting Challenge Competition webpage! Started in 2014, the Consulting Challenge is a graduate student competition developed by PTCMW to allow students to develop key professional skills, while expanding their professional networks and winning great prizes! Specific information for the annual competition is listed below. Thank you for visiting!

For specific questions not covered on this page, contact here.

Stay Tuned for the 2025 Consulting Challenge!

Information for the 2025 Graduate Student Consulting Challenge will come in August 2025.

Event Information


2024 Consulting Challenge Dates:

October 17-21, 2024

Event Schedule: 

Day 1: 

  • Teams virtually meet HumRRO and PTCMW representatives to get the challenge topic.
  • Teams meet virtually and begin planning.
  • Network with HumRRO and PTCMW representatives, board members, and your peers.

Days 2-4: 

  • Teams work through their response to the challenge.
  • Teams draft a two-page executive summary and a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation.

Day 5: 

  • Teams deliver final presentations and submit executive summaries.
  • Judges evaluate executive summaries and presentations.

2024 Consulting Challenge Sponsor


How Does the Challenge Work?

1. 30 registered students are selected to participate (PTCMW membership required). Students are considered in the order that they register.

2. Students are then placed on a team of 3-6 people with students from other universities.

3. The sponsor organization then presents teams with a Request for Proposal (RFP) that outlines a real organizational challenge.

4. Teams work together to develop a two-page executive summary and presentation.

5. Sponsor organization representatives and expert I-Os will judge presentations and rate executive summaries.

6. One team will win the challenge and be awarded with $1,500. The runner up team will be awarded with $800. 

TEAM COMPOSITION: PTCMW leadership reviews applications in regards to previous work or research experience, university affiliation, and year in school in order to develop diverse and fair teams.

Why Should You Participate?

EXPERIENCE A REALISTIC JOB PREVIEW: PTCMW presents a real challenge local organizations are currently facing in a realistic RFP format. Students present as if they were external consultants bidding on a consulting project. Solutions are judged by expert practitioners based on theory, technical merit, and innovation.

EXPAND PROFESSIONAL NETWORK: Students currently enrolled in local I-O and related programs are assigned to a group made up of students with differing expertise, knowledge, and program affiliations. Students will be assigned to teams and given the opportunity to network with other students, PTCMW members, and representatives from the sponsor's organization.

DEVELOP CONSULTING SKILLS: Teams are responsible for building an effective team, developing products, and presenting results.

BUILD COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Each team presents to an independent panel of expert I-O judges and receives invaluable feedback.

WIN PRIZES: The winning team will win $1,500, and the runner‐up team will win $800. In addition, every participating team will receive a free year of PTCMW student membership. The top three teams will be recognized to the PTCMW community. 

How To Register

ELIGIBILITY: Students must be in a Master’s or Doctoral program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Management or related program. Students must commit to contribute equally and fairly to their team for the entire duration of the challenge. We encourage students from outside of the greater Washington, DC Metro to participate also. PTCMW membership is required to participate.

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

  • Register for the event and upload your resume 
  • Pay the registration fee 

FOR QUESTIONS: Contact here.

Past Consulting Challenge Sponsors

2023: PTCMW

2022: Aon

2021: FMP Consulting

2020: Amazon

2018-2019: AON

2014-2017:  PDRI, an SHL Company

Congratulations to the Previous Consulting Challenge Winners!

2024

First Place Team:

Billy Duck (George Mason University), Changyoon Byun (University of Maryland), Kaliah Alford (George Mason University), Rishika Bhatnagar (University of Baltimore), Yasmine Elfeki (Virginia Tech)

Second Place Team:

Emily Kim (Virginia Tech), Nicole Shiu (George Mason University), Paulina Lopez (University of Baltimore), Rebecca Yan (George Mason University), Sullivan Williams (George Mason University)

2023



First Place Team:

Benjamin Bradshaw (George Mason University), Ariam Haile (George Mason University) , Nidhal Mazza (Texas A&M University), Jacadi Tillman (UMBC Shady Grove)


Second Place Team:

Jalen Byrd (Chicago School of Professional Psychology), James Peters (North Carolina State University), Solmary Zayas (University of Maryland College Park), Will Thilwind (George Mason University) 


2022



First Place Team:

Claire Seo (George Washington University), Marissa Dasta (University of Baltimore), Shelby Joseph (George Mason University)

Second Place Team:

Marissa Bolouri-rad (George Mason University), Dawn Gates (Southern New Hampshire University), Matthew Hailemariam (George Mason University)

2021

First Place Team:

Derek Bussman (University of Maryland), Elizabeth Chimento (George Mason University), Danielle Donnelly (University of Baltimore), Denis Ochieng (Grand Canyon University), Briana Squires (Hofstra University), and Hina Ullah (George Mason University).

Second Place Team:

Sofie Alexandrides (George Mason University), Nicole Aranda (George Mason University), Ami Patel (George Mason University), and Aidan Suttlehan (George Mason University).

2020

First Place Team:

Dhanisha Nandigama (University of New York at Albany), Jinah Rhee (University of Maryland, College Park), Chelsea Riccardi (The George Washington University), Sarah Schaible (North Carolina State University), Sarah Sultzer (George Mason University), and Nianqi Wu (George Mason University).

Second Place Team:

Jessie Canon (George Mason University), Taylor Dotson (University of Maryland), Andrea Garry (University of Baltimore), Heekyung Kim (George Mason University), and Joe Meyer (Louisiana Tech University).

2019

First Place Team:

From left to right: Lorin Mueller (PTCMW President), Crystal Drayton (University of Hartford), Alexis Roman (GMU), Steven Zhou (GMU), and Leah Ellison (Aon, Event Sponsor)

Second Place Team:

From left to right: Leah Ellison (Aon, Event Sponsor), Soudeepya Chinni (University of Maryland), Jessaline Tuason (University of Maryland, College Park), and Richard Hayes (Old Dominion University; not pictured)

2018

First Place Team:

From left to right: Alex Fernandes (GMU), Cierra Everette (GWU), Sabina Diyarova, and Jerod White (Capella)

Second Place Team:

You Zhou (No affiliation listed) and Not pictured: Lindsey Stuck (Capella), Oscar Andrade (UB), and Sarah Melick (BGSU).

2017


First Place Team:
From left to right: Tim Burgoyne (GMU), Katie Guarino (GMU), Jay Souder (UB), and Marjani Edwards (GMU)


Second Place Team:
From left to right: Kira Foley (GWU; 3rd place team), Corey Moore (GMU; 3rd place team), Jenna Eagleson (GMU), Wenmo Kong (GMU), Whitney Tyler (ODU), Dan Ravid (GWU)

2016


First Place Team:
From left to right: Tim Burgoyne (GMU), Elena Auer (ODU), Veronica Passarelli (GMU), Alyssa Gradus (UB), Katelyn Reynolds (ODU)


Second Place Team:
From left to right: Christian Dobbins (GMU), Stephen Tyler (GMU), Lauren Lanzo (GWU), Settera Burleson (ODU; not pictured)

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