Join Us for Spring 2023!

APPLY NOW RECRUITMENT TIPS
 

What we offer

BETTER THE LA COMMUNITY

LACI consultants apply their knowledge and skills to help nonprofits and small businesses in the LA area by solving real business problems.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

By joining LACI, you'll have the opportunity to improve your analytical, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to interact with our professor mentors, alumni, and professional network, with whom we host events throughout the semester.

PERSONAL GROWTH

As a member of our fellowship, you'll tackle relevant social issues and form meaningful relationships with peers who share your interest in social impact and consulting. Your fellow consultants will push you to think in new ways about important personal and social issues, driving personal growth.

What to look forward to

What we expect

COMMITMENT

LACI members dedicate, on average, 3-8 hrs/week to project-related research and analysis, team and client meetings, events, organization-wide meetings, and workshops (for new members).

PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITY

While there is no formal training or expertise required, you should take a structured approach to problem-solving, have an aptitude for finding and improving weaknesses in a system, and demonstrate both creativity and practicality.

GOAL-ORIENTED TEAMWORK

LACI is a team-oriented organization. As such, we look for applicants who will thrive in dynamic settings. We want members who take initiative and contribute original insights to their projects.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

+ WHAT IS THE RECRUITMENT TIMELINE FOR SPRING 2023?

LACI's written application launches on Sunday, January 15, 2023 and closes on Sunday, January 29 at 11:59 pm. Two information sessions will be held, the first on January 18 from 7-8 pm PST and the second on January 26 from 8-9 pm PST. Both sessions will be hosted in JFF LL 102. Applicants are also welcome to meet current LACI members on January 24 from 2-5 pm PST outside of TCC.

+ WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN AN APPLICANT?

LACI looks for students who have a genuine desire to serve and improve the Los Angeles community. Our projects are team-based, so we look for applicants who will be valuable and effective team players. Commitment, problem-solving ability, and overall fit are key qualities that we emphasize. We highly encourage freshmen and non-Marshall students to apply. You do not need any prior consulting or business experience to join; LACI educates all new members on the consulting process through new members workshops.

+ AS A NON-MARSHALL STUDENT, WHAT WILL I GET OUT OF LACI?

During the course of a semester, you will have the opportunity to work on a consulting project which will teach you skills that are widely applicable. At the core, consultants are problem-solvers: they break down and analyze the problems that clients face, think critically and develop solutions, and propose strategic recommendations to address these challenges. In addition, LACI works with nonprofits and small businesses from a variety of sectors and industries, giving you the opportunity for broad exposure. Moreover, LACI provides a hands-on experience in which you can apply your specialized classroom knowledge to real-world business problems.

+ HOW MANY NEW MEMBERS DO YOU TAKE EACH SEMESTER?

There is no quota on the number of members we select, so each semester is different. However, we invite between 10 and 15 applicants on average to join LACI. We look for strong applicants who fit well with LACI, so we encourage you to focus simply on demonstrating your strengths.

+ I CAN’T MAKE IT TO ONE OF THE INFO SESSIONS/EVENTS; WILL THAT HURT MY CHANCES?

Our info sessions and events are completely optional and designed for your benefit. Our aim is to give you multiple opportunities to learn about LACI, ask questions, and meet our members. Your attendance at these events is not required, and nonattendance will never count against you in the application process.

At information sessions, we give a 20-minute presentation that introduces you to our organization, what we do, what our consulting projects look like, and how the application and membership processes work. Our mixers and service events give students another chance to get to know our members personally and experience LACI’s fellowship. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to any of the events; all the essential information is listed on our website, and if you have additional questions, feel free to reach out by email.

+ WHAT DOES A TYPICAL PROJECT LOOK LIKE?

No two projects are the same. There is no “typical” project because every client brings unique problems for us to solve. Much of the fun of being on a LACI project is identifying the highest priority challenges facing your client and finding a way to address those challenges within a ten-week window.

+ HOW ARE MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO PROJECTS?

All LACI members are sent a list of the current semester’s clients, which includes detailed descriptions of the proposed project. Members complete a survey listing their top five project choices, and a board committee assigns teams based on a number of considerations, including project preference, member experience, and skillset. Each project team consists of 4-5 LACI members (with one experienced team leader) and is assigned to one client for the entire semester.

+ HOW MANY PROJECTS DOES LACI WORK ON EACH SEMESTER?

The number varies from semester to semester depending on how many people we can staff, but we usually work with 10-12 clients each semester. Each client translates to one ten-week project.