Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions section of the CCC website. The CCC often receives questions about the club, so we ask that you thoroughly review this list of questions before contacting a board member for more information.
Best,
The CCC Board
What is the CCC?
The Community Case Competition (formerly known as the Community Consulting Club) was founded in 1999 at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. The club is a popular extra curricular activity committed to helping non-profit organizations in southeastern Michigan. The club typically oversees the completion of 5 to 10 consulting projects during the fall semester each year that allow students to apply their business acumen to assist local non-profit organizations in need of assistance with strategic issues dealing with accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and human resources.
For MBA students interested in consulting, they are encouraged to join the Consulting Club. The Consulting Club provides assistance with recruiting and career development in this capacity. While many students will join both organizations, the CCC is more focused on assisting local non-profit organizations with strategic business issues.
What makes the CCC different from other activities?
The CCC currently differentiates itself among other extra-curricular activities at Ross for the following reasons:
Who is eligible to join the club?
The CCC is open to all University of Michigan graduate and undergraduate students who have an interest in assisting local non-profits with business projects. However, as an organization based in the Ross School of Business, we must maintain at least 70% of our students in Ross degree programs, including but not limited to the full time MBA, evening MBA, global MBA and BBA programs.
Do I need to have previous work and/or consulting experience to join?
No. The CCC encourages students apply to join the club with a wide range of backgrounds. The CCC board offers membership to students primarily based on the responses in the written application.
How competitive is it to get into the club?
The club is selective and often reviews over 150 student applications each year for approximately 60-70 spots for members. While virtually all applicants are qualified to participate in the club, the CCC board looks for demonstrated leadership and results in the written application. Successful applicants were able to provide specific examples and clear rationale about their interest and commitment to the club as well as the non-profit organizations.
What are some of the leadership opportunities in the club?
All students will be able to build their leadership skills as a member of a CCC project team. Teams should act together to make each member accountable for a part of the project, which will also allow members to practice their organizational, communication, and time management skills.
Graduate level students are able to apply to serve as team leaders of projects. The role of a team leader is more of a coordinator rather than a supervisor, as we encourage all teams to operate without a hierarchical structure. As a result, team leaders will coordinate and lead meetings, ensure work is delegated appropriately among all team members, and will serve as the primary liaison between the CCC board and the project team.
Upon successful completion of a CCC project, members are eligible to run for a position on the CCC board for the following year. Elections typically take place in January and board members hold their position for one full year. The specific requirements and responsibilities for each board member varies, but each board member is expected to contribute to the overall execution of club activities as well as contributing to shaping the strategy and direction of club activities.
What is the application process for projects & members?
The CCC conducts the majority of its projects in the fall semester. Non-profit organizations are required to submit their project applications during the summer, and a final project list will be determined in early September. Students interested in joining the club must apply by the published 2023 deadline and will be notified soon after. Students should look for email announcements about the application process in early September and can meet club leaders at the September Meet the Clubs events.
If you indicate interest in being a team lead, you will be notified via email if you've been selected to interview for the role. Students interviewing to be team leaders should be able to demonstrate their interest in joining as well as their ability and interest in contributing to specific projects.
How are projects selected?
For non-profit organizations, the CCC usually receives about 20 project applications each fall, meaning twice the applications for available project teams. The most attractive projects for the CCC to support include those that have a clear scope of project goals, ability to be completed in 9-10 weeks, ability to allow students to apply their business skills, and non-profits impact that directly supports the southeastern Michigan community. The clearer the objective and scope of the project, the better we can align skills to support you.
How are students matched to projects?
Students are given the opportunity to review the available projects in advance of submitting an application. In the applications, students are asked to rank their top projects, and, after reviewing all applications, successful applicants are assigned based on their rankings as well as their application responses. In some cases, student backgrounds and past experiences are considered, but the majority of decisions are based solely on the written application.
When do projects occur?
Projects typically start in late September and must be completed by mid December. Projects do not occur in the winter/spring semester due to the fact a large number of 1st year MBA members are out of Ann Arbor to complete MAP (Multidisciplinary Action Projects) during this time.
What projects does the CCC offer and support?
Projects vary greatly each year, and the CCC board does its best to ensure that projects reflect the interests of its members professionally and personally. The only consistent factor among all projects is that they work with non-profit organizations committed to assisting the local communities of southeastern Michigan.
Each year the CCC board will release a list of projects categorized by the academic focus area, which includes, Strategy, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Operations, & Human Resources Management. Furthermore, the CCC board works with non-profit organizations that offer assistance in a range of sectors, including business & economic development, social services, healthcare, environmental sustainability, performing arts, and education.
What is the time commitment?
The CCC requests that all members allocate approximately five hours per week. While this time commitment varies and can often be shorter during the earlier stages of the project and longer during the later stages. During the 9-10 week period, students also undergo trainings conducted by the CCC board as well hold their own internal project meetings.
Are any of the projects international in scope?
No. The CCC is committed to helping the local communities of southeastern Michigan, so none of our projects aid organizations outside of this geographic scope. Students interested in international opportunities should either contact the Emerging Markets Club or the William Davidson Institute.
Will I receive course credit?
No. The CCC is an extra-curricular activity sponsored through the Ross School of Business, so student members are not eligible to receive academic credit.
What is the cost to participate in the club?
All members are required to pay. Dues typically cover all administrative and training costs associated with the club. Dues will be $50 for the 2022-23 year.