The Student Consulting Lab is a collaboration between small teams of Evans School students, their faculty advisors, and our public, private, and nonprofit partners to co-create solutions to policy and organizational problems.
Partner with us in developing future public service leaders!
Collaborate on real-world projects that strengthen your mission while benefiting from fresh ideas, evidence-based solutions, and the energy of emerging leaders.
Application Deadline (new extended deadline): September 8.
Benefits to Partners
We are proud that this program has built organizational capacity for more than 20 years with support from our MPA students. We have delivered powerful recommendations for organizations and improved equitable outcomes for everyone in our shared community. By partnering with a Student Consulting Lab project, your organization will:
- Gain fresh insights and data-driven solutions. Our student teams bring advanced analytical skills, policy expertise, and a fresh perspective to tackle complex challenges in the public and nonprofit sectors.
- Advance strategic priorities with extra capacity. Consulting teams dedicate 120+ hours per project, providing valuable research, evaluation, and implementation support that complements your internal efforts, all at a low-cost.
- Collaborate with mission-driven graduate students. Evans School students are emerging leaders in public service, passionate about making a difference. You’ll work directly with a team selected to match your project’s scope and goals.
- Strengthen your pipeline of future talent. Many organizations use Student Consulting Lab as a way to connect with and recruit top-performing graduate students with policy, management, and data expertise.
- Contribute to student learning and public impact. Your partnership provides a meaningful, real-world experience for students while generating actionable deliverables that support your mission.
How It Works
Under the guidance of faculty advisors, teams of three to five skilled, second-year Master of Public Administration (MPA) students dedicate approximately 10-12 hours per week to their selected projects over a five-month period.
Participation in the Student Consulting Lab includes a project fee of $2,500. If the project fee is a financial barrier to participation we also provide fee waivers, which can be requested through the proposal form.
What makes a good proposal?
- A feasible program scope for a team of three to five consultants and a five-month timeline
- A clearly-stated problem, challenge, or opportunity to be addressed by the project
- An emphasis on value-added research that can be conducted by an offsite team
- Clear and achievable deliverables, including but not limited to written reports, presentations to decision-makers or board officers, or tools to aid in program implementation
- Alignment with the Evans School mission: The Evans School of Public Policy & Governance educates leaders, generates knowledge, and hosts communities to co-create solutions to pressing societal problems.
Past Projects
A student team analyzed homelessness across Puget Sound counties to recommend criteria the Medina Foundation could use to make its grantmaking more impactful.
This capstone examined how Washington’s Growth Management Act and planning processes shaped Puget Sound, highlighting opportunities to better advance ecosystem health, environmental justice, and tribal inclusion.
Learn more
This project examined how The BOMA Project could expand its life-changing work with ultra-poor women in Africa by identifying new opportunities to engage corporate and high-net-worth donors.
Consultants explored communication strategies, vaccine policies, and reopening practices to help Washington small businesses and agencies navigate a safer, more equitable recovery from COVID-19.
Meet the Student Consulting Lab Team
AK Sterling
Erica Barnhart
Executive MPA Program Director
