Wrapping up the Semester...
The end of this semester will mark the culmination of 23 client engagements during the 2007–2008 academic year, ten of which are being completed in the spring semester. The solutions that the SCNO teams have provided to their clients in the past two semesters have been spectacular and certainly helped the group to grow to even higher levels of prominence in the non-profit community and at Michigan State.
The last two semesters featured many great things for the group, including numerous corporate presentations, 23 tremendously successful engagements, and a feature in Consulting Magazine. For the month remaining in the semester, SCNO is participating in an effort to clean up the Grand River, concluding client presentations and will be hosting an end of year barbecue for all members and friends of the group.
Message from the President...
 In my last month as President of SCNO, I’ve spent a significant amount of time reflecting on how much the group has changed and all that we’ve achieved since I joined during my sophomore year. Each year the members of SCNO have elevated their work to new levels of quality and innovation, which is apparent in the success we have had in developing the community and the more than 65 clients we have worked with since autumn of 2005. Internally, the refinements of our processes and attention to the member experience have made this a very unique and special organization.
The constant of SCNO through the past few years has most certainly been the passion and dedication of our members. The nature of our organization really does seem to attract the brightest students at Michigan State, and it has sincerely been a privilege to work with and learn from such talented individuals throughout my three-year membership in SCNO.
The Member Experience...
One of the founding principles of SCNO is to offer a unique experience to members through hands-on, practical problem solving and group work. A few current and former members were asked about their membership in the organization, and the responses they provided really encompass the total SCNO experience, from client interaction to the sentiments of the teams.
"SCNO has taught me a lot of different ways that non-profit organizations can raise money. I never would have known about search engines that donated money to different organizations.” On the group work: “The people are definitely my favorite part of SCNO. I really enjoy my team and think that they are all amazing people!"
Michele Hillman – Advertising, Freshman
"The job I have taken requires a lot of client interaction, and I will be developing unique financing options for numerous clients, which ties directly to the work I did on SCNO projects. I brought up SCNO in all my interviews and the topic usually monopolized the entire interview. Every bank I talked to was impressed by what the group does and viewed it as direct experience for the job I was applying for."
Greg Calhoun – Finance, Senior
"In SCNO we dealt with real clients with real expectations, and provided solutions for their business needs. Having that opportunity and accountability is rare at the college level and differentiated us from other college groups."
Jennifer Harvey – Microsoft, Spring 2005 Graduate
"SCNO provided me with an outstanding opportunity to gain leadership experience and skills. Working with like-minded, motivated peers to build a first-class student organization was challenging and a lot of fun. Helping the community and witnessing the results of our labors made the work very rewarding."
Ryan Sullivan – Banc of America Securities, Spring 2006 Graduate
"SCNO gave me the experience of working in a real business setting where managing client expectations played a key role in the success of our group. The client interaction I gained in SCNO helped to build my confidence both on a personal and a professional level."
Lisa O’Connor – The Dow Chemical Company, Summer 2007 Graduate
Applying to Work with SCNO...
Do you know of an organization that could benefit from working with SCNO? All interested groups should visit www.msuscno.org for an application and send it to communitydevelopment@msuscno.org by April 18th to be considered for the Fall 2008 semester. Once all applications have been received, each organization will be contacted to schedule an interview with members of the SCNO Executive Board. Because the demand from prospective clients and members typically exceeds the available resources of SCNO, interviews are conducted to ensure both the integrity of SCNO’s work and an equally beneficial experience for all parties.
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