Global Challenge Lab

Visão geral

Thunderbird’s Global Challenge Lab is a cutting-edge capstone course that engages Thunderbird students with global organizations to solve challenges related to growth and impacts. All full-time MGM students will participate in a six-credit Global Challenge Lab during which they will work full-time with a client in an international or domestic location.

This is a highly-collaborative, team-based, consulting project. Students will develop and deliver data-driven insights informed by prominent Thunderbird professors and rigorous academic coursework designed for today’s rapidly changing and increasingly interconnected global economy.

This program is a three-credit elective for students in the Executive MGM and MLM programs; it is a one-week immersive experience on-site at the client location.

40+

Countries

300+

Clients served

750+

Student consultants

Key Features

Spend three-weeks working with a team of 3-6 classmates
Receive support from Thunderbird faculty and staff.

Work for a real client (such as a multinational, local business, non-profit, university or government agency)
Earn 6 credits

Experience cultural immersion and professional growth
Manage a professional relationship with client executives, present analysis and solutions and receive and incorporate feedback

Student Testimonials

How the GCL Works

Introduction and Data Collection

Two Weeks | On-Campus | Phoenix, AZ

Learning fundamentals of consulting
Leading a kick-off call with your client
Identifying your client's current and ideal states
Becoming an expert in your client's industry, region, and project scope of work

Discovery and Analysis

Three Weeks | On-Site | Client's Location

Immersing fully with your client team
Conducting primary research with key stakeholders
Receiving faculty guidance and feedback
Preparing and presenting a mid-point deliverable
Beginning to analyze data collected

Analysis and Refinement

Two Weeks | On-Campus | Phoenix, AZ

Organizing key insights
Polishing and delivering final deliverable
Winning adoption for your recommendations
Completing individual course assignments
Celebrating completion of your project with the Thunderbird community

Past Projects

Smuckers

Ohio, USA: Students analyzed the pet food market in Eastern Europe and identified high-potential opportunities for multiple pet food brands within the Smucker’s portfolio.

UberEats

Mexico City, Mexico: Students developed a customer engagement and loyalty strategy for the company’s users, both existing and future.

Siginon Aviation

Nairobi, Kenya: Students developed a market scale plan for a new mobile application that was a GPS-enabled cargo transportation marketplace.

Banco Davivienda

Bogotá, Colombia: Students analyzed the mobile money and remittances market to help inform the bank’s digital growth strategy.

Evergreen Labs

Ho Chi Min, Vietnam: Students proposed a market scale plan for a social enterprise’s closed-loop recycled plastic products within the Vietnamese market.

Eva Vázquez Ortiz

Professor Assistente Clínico

Tom Hunsaker

Diretor Executivo do Global Challenge Lab e Professor Clínico

Thunderbird Senior Associate Dean Gigi Harris

G.L.A. Harris

Professor

Host a GCL

A Thunderbird student smiling and shaking hands with a woman in Madagascar during the Global Challenge Lab

Our capstone consulting course, the Global Challenge Lab, offers organizations the opportunity to host a team of students on-site at your office for a period of three weeks. The talented MGM students will deliver data-driven insights to your organization’s specific challenge. The GCL delivers a unique value proposition to clients: the expertise and support of Thunderbird faculty combined with dynamic and versatile young professionals who apply modern global management practices and principles. Whether your organization is a business, government, or nonprofit—you can take advantage of Thunderbird’s global talent to access sophisticated data and market analysis, strategy recommendations, and practical, effective plans for sustained growth.

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