for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
at Davidson College

Hire A Student

GET SUPPORT FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Short-Term Consulting with Davidson Students

We connect startups and small businesses with talented students from one of America’s top-ranked colleges. Our team of carefully selected student consultants combines the analytical rigor of a premier liberal arts education with fresh, innovative thinking to deliver results for your short-term projects.

oUR MENU oF sERVICEs

Select a category below to view project options.
We focus on delivering specific project outcomes within 4-6 weeks rather than providing ongoing services.

Please note we’re currently booked through the end of the year and are now accepting projects that will begin in late January 2026.

Market Research

Business Strategy

Data & Analytics

Operations

Branding & Online Presence

Content Development

Video Production

Photography

Website & Digital Development

Competitor Research & Positioning Analysis – Research 5-10 competitors with positioning analysis and differentiation recommendations to clarify your unique advantage.
Customer Research – Survey design, interviews, and data collection with insights to refine products and marketing.
Industry Analysis & Trends Report – Landscape and trends analysis with opportunities identified to stay ahead.

Business Model Analysis – Evaluate your revenue sources and competition to find ways to increase profits and grow your business.
Financial Analysis & Projections – Revenue and expenses forecast with pricing review and straightforward recommendations to guide business decisions.
Growth Strategy Development – Identify opportunities and create actionable plans to scale your business sustainably.

Data Analysis & Insights – Comprehensive analysis of your data with actionable recommendations to guide better decision-making.
Customer Segmentation Analysis – Identifying 3–5 customer personas and targeting strategies for sharper marketing.
ROI Analysis – Review of recent marketing, product, or service efforts with recommendations to improve results and maximize your investment.

Process Documentation – Documentation of Standard Operating Procedures for workflows with templates and checklists for consistency.
Workflow Optimization – Process analysis with efficiency recommendations and implementation plan.
Customer Journey Mapping – Visual map with touchpoint analysis and improvement ideas.

Logo Design & Brand Guidelines – Development of a professional logo and clear brand standards to ensure consistency across all communications.
Brand Voice Development – Messaging guide and sample content to create consistent brand communication.
Digital Presence Audit & Recommendations – Review of how your business appears across key online platforms to strengthen visibility and first impressions.

Campaign Planning – Strategy and creative assets for a specific launch to drive results.
Copywriting Support – Professional writing and editing for blog posts, grant applications, email marketing, or website content to strengthen your brand message.
Marketing Asset Design – Design services for brochures, flyers, email templates, business cards, and other materials to promote your business.

Promotional Video Creation – Concept, filming, and editing for a short video to engage your audience.
Short-Form Video Editing – Edit existing long-form videos into social media clips.
Social Media Video Strategy – Content plan, tools guide, and creative ideas for short-form videos that showcase your products or services.

Product Photography – Professional product shots and web-ready files to showcase your inventory and boost sales.
Team Photos – Edited headshots or lifestyle photos to present a polished, trustworthy image.
Event Photography – Professional coverage of your business event with an edited gallery to capture and promote key moments.

Website Performance Audit – UX and SEO review with an improvement roadmap to boost site effectiveness.
Website Creation – Custom website, up to 5 pages, on a user-friendly platform to represent your brand and convert visitors.
Website & Platform Enhancements – Add new content, sections, or custom-coded features to your website, product, or digital platform.

Market Research

Competitor Research & Positioning Analysis – Research 5-10 competitors with positioning analysis and differentiation recommendations to clarify your unique advantage.
Customer Research – Survey design, interviews, and data collection with insights to refine products and marketing.
Industry Analysis & Trends Report – Landscape and trends analysis with opportunities identified to stay ahead.

Business Strategy

Business Model Analysis – Evaluate your revenue sources and competition to find ways to increase profits and grow your business.
Financial Analysis & Projections – Revenue and expenses forecast with pricing review and straightforward recommendations to guide business decisions.
Growth Strategy Development – Identify opportunities and create actionable plans to scale your business sustainably.

Data & Analytics

Data Analysis & Insights – Comprehensive analysis of your data with actionable recommendations to guide better decision-making.
Customer Segmentation Analysis – Identifying 3–5 customer personas and targeting strategies for sharper marketing.
ROI Analysis – Review of recent marketing, product, or service efforts with recommendations to improve results and maximize your investment.

Operations

Process Documentation – Documentation of Standard Operating Procedures for workflows with templates and checklists for consistency.
Workflow Optimization – Process analysis with efficiency recommendations and implementation plan.
Customer Journey Mapping – Visual map with touchpoint analysis and improvement ideas.

Branding & Online Presence

Logo Design & Brand Guidelines – Development of a professional logo and clear brand standards to ensure consistency across all communications.
Brand Voice Development – Messaging guide and sample content to create consistent brand communication.
Digital Presence Audit & Recommendations – Review of how your business appears across key online platforms to strengthen visibility and first impressions.

Content Development

Campaign Planning – Strategy and creative assets for a specific launch to drive results.
Copywriting Support – Professional writing and editing for blog posts, grant applications, email marketing, or website content to strengthen your brand message.
Marketing Asset Design – Design services for brochures, flyers, email templates, business cards, and other materials to promote your business.

Video Production

Promotional Video Creation – Concept, filming, and editing for a short video to engage your audience.
Short-Form Video Editing – Edit existing long-form videos into social media clips.
Social Media Video Strategy – Content plan, tools guide, and creative ideas for short-form videos that showcase your products or services.

Photography

Product Photography – Professional product shots and web-ready files to showcase your inventory and boost sales.
Team Photos – Edited headshots or lifestyle photos to present a polished, trustworthy image.
Event Photography – Professional coverage of your business event with an edited gallery to capture and promote key moments.

Website & Digital Development

Website Performance Audit – UX and SEO review with an improvement roadmap to boost site effectiveness.
Website Creation – Custom website, up to 5 pages, on a user-friendly platform to represent your brand and convert visitors.
Website & Platform Enhancements – Add new content, sections, or custom-coded features to your website, product, or digital platform.

How IT WORKS

Program Details

STRUCTURE & TIMELINE

The Student Consulting Team operates as an agency. You submit projects, and we assign and manage them internally (with your guidance and feedback as needed). Projects typically take 4-6 weeks to complete. The program runs year-round, except May, August, and December when students are unavailable.

This model allows clients to benefit from the team’s work without the time commitment of selecting students or providing training and supervision.

COLLABORATION

Each project begins with a kickoff meeting (in-person preferred for Charlotte-area clients). Most projects will be assigned to at least two student consultants plus a student Engagement Manager who will facilitate communication and progress.

PAYMENT

Most projects are priced between $700-$1,000 depending on scope and complexity. All costs will be determined before work begins.

Pro Bono Support Available

Through generous support from a Truist Charitable Fund grant and the Amplify Davidson initiative, we can usually cover the cost of one project per company for underrepresented founders and businesses in local geographic areas.

If you are a non-profit or public-sector organization, you may be eligible for pro bono assistance through the college’s Center for Civic Engagement. To learn more about their offerings and services, contact the CCE or submit your project request here.

Submit A Project

Please select a project from the menu of services above and submit a request form.

Important: The form will not autosave your responses if you need to exit before submitting. To avoid losing your work, please plan to spend 15 minutes completing it all at once. Thank you!

Questions? Contact Amy Tirpak at amtirpak@davidson.edu

Please note we’re currently booked through the end of the year and are now accepting projects that will begin in late January 2026.

Past Clients & Testimonials

Lyman was proactive and eager to tackle new projects. His work focused on underutilized company data surrounding two of our largest expenditures. He was able to build models that helped us understand spending patterns and trends, as well as isolate budget variances in real time.

John RuhlController at AquaTech Pool Management

Trang was a pleasure to work with and very thorough in her research and planning. I tasked her with developing a strategy for the initial phases of our company's social media profiles, and she delivered a competitive analysis, proposed creative content ideas, and created a social media calendar. All of this, combined with her refreshing perspective on social media, inspired me to rethink my approach to building our online community.

Calvin RobinsonJubileague

Our student consultant cleaned up our email list and segmented it for us in a couple of different ways. She was responsible, responsive, and independent in her thinking and work – a total pleasure. This program is an affordable way to access hard-working talent from Davidson on a flexible basis. Our business gets things done that might not otherwise be a priority, and talented students get exposure to the professional world. Win-win!

- Jessica BronzertFounder & CEO at The Sparks Group

In a short period of time a student consultant was able to send me the video he made. With slight modifications, Mount Up had the video we will use for our product launch. The other owners were very happy with the video the student made. He was also able to provide us a step by step installation sheet that we can include in the product packaging. Having Davidson College students that are able to perform some job functions that small businesses are looking for is great. It is a tremendous asset in the local area.

Mike FaubertMount Up

The student consultant has supported several projects, including the 2020 RightsCon Virtual Summit, the World Health Organization- Africa (WHOAfro) Digital Health Virtual Workshop, the COVID-19 Digital Classroom course series, and The Financing Community Health Programs for Scale and Sustainability course series. She built her skills in program management and virtual education by understanding and employing the foundational principles of UX design in her work. She has been a wonderful addition to the TechChange team, and we are grateful for the partnership with the Hurt Hub which has connected TechChange to such amazing talent.

Hailey NicholasTechChange, Public Health Account Manager

Key here was my absolute trust that a Davidson student could attack even a new challenge like this with rigor, intelligence, timeliness, and diligence. The student consultant exceeded my expectations and delivered work that was on par with the diligence of the professional fact-checker. She executed her task needing very little direction from me, and I couldn't have been happier with her work product.

Andy KiferWriter & Editor

I credit the Hurt Hub with helping me launch my business 2 1/2 years ago when I had little knowledge of the process and what to do. I took a Start-up Class at the Hurt Hub, was matched with two incredible mentors through the mentorship program, have been introduced to talented student consultants, and have loved working in the beautiful building and meeting other entrepreneurs. Davidson is lucky to have such an incredible facility and all of the folks who make it so special.

Diane ElkinsPositive Workspace