Tanya Mir’s eyes quickly flitter across the screen as she scrolls through job postings, the blue light of her laptop reflecting in her eyes. It is 1 a.m., and she has spent the rest of her day hopping between classes, work, and extracurricular activities. Restless and passionate, Tanya is committed to applying to her dream consulting positions.
Because Tanya is pursuing a policy studies major though the Maxwell School of Citizenship, Tanya lacked the same opportunities available to more traditional business students to prove to consulting companies that she’s capable of success. And compared to other universities with extensive consulting club networks, Syracuse University didn’t have a student consulting club that matched her skills and interests.
Without already having relevant internship experience, Tanya felt at a disadvantage compared to students who had clubs that provided them with the necessary skills and connections that are so pertinent to the job market today.
“The job market is so competitive — not just in consulting but in general. Now, you’re expected to already have extensive experience, even for entry-level jobs,” Tanya, a senior, lamented.
After running the idea by her close friend, Bailey Klemm, Tanya began Slice Consulting to provide students with the opportunity to gain real-world experience in the field. Together, the two women built the club from the ground up, modeling it as closely as possible to what real consulting recruitment and work looks like.
“I could not have done it without Bailey,” Tanya said. “She deserves a lot of credit for keeping me in check and giving me the truth when I needed it.”
Teams are a major part of consulting, so Tanya stressed that the executive team she and Bailey had selected became the foundation for the club’s success and creative drive. The team keeps each other accountable, and Bailey helps Tanya decide what club initiatives need to be prioritized most.
Tanya also expressed how the growth of Slice allowed her to strengthen her ability to leverage a team dynamic for long-term success: “The larger we grow as a club, the more I have to learn my limits and delegate tasks to others. This is good because it also creates new leadership positions for more people.”
She added, “Teamwork makes the dream work. You have to know how to be not only a great leader but also a great team member, which can sometimes mean stepping back and letting someone else take the lead.”
When Slice launched in the fall, Tanya was blown away by the caliber of the applications. This semester, she is expecting to bring on even more members for their growing client base.
To join Slice, students must partake in an interview and case study that mirrors the application process of many well-known consulting firms. Once they are accepted as consultants, the students work on projects for clients, most of which so far have been nonprofits in the Syracuse area. For each project, one consultant is appointed as the project manager. Following this, the project team meets with the client to discuss their needs. The teams use real project management tools to meet deadlines and ultimately help their client succeed.
One of Slice’s first clients is the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University.
Outside of Slice, Tanya also works as a teaching assistant in the political science department, where she is starting a new program to engage more political science students in civic engagement. She has also worked on grant writing for Upskill Education and fosters discourse on effective club leadership through the South Asian Student Association.
After graduating this spring, Tanya will be kickstarting her consulting career by working for Deloitte as a business technology analyst for the summer, and she is also applying to a master’s degree program in entrepreneurship through the Whitman School of Management.
Tanya’s projects can be found on her LinkedIn, and more information about Slice Consulting can be found on the club’s website and Instagram.
There will be two general interest meetings for students looking to join Slice in Spring 2022:
- Tuesday, February 1st at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom
- Wednesday, February 2nd at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom
Interested students should also fill out Slice’s application form, which is due February 7th.
See the below image for the general interest meeting ID’s and QR code.
Story by Sasha Temerte ’23, LaunchPad Global Fellow; photo supplied