From Michigan’s newest — and biggest — indoor waterpark to a restaurant that’s in the works in northern mid-Michigan, DeVos Graduate students at Northwood University partnered with 14 businesses and non-profits to conduct research and develop recommendations to aid future decision-making.
Each year, students enrolled in the MBA program at the DeVos Graduate School are divided into consulting teams. Under the guidance of MBA faculty with decades of industry experience, these teams work with a business or non-profit to conduct fieldwork that culminates in action-oriented recommendations.
“These hands-on consulting experiences are embedded into the DeVos curriculum, designed to ensure students apply theory to practice, collaborate in diverse teams, and become trusted advisors in real-world scenarios,” explained Kennedy Cripps, Assistant Dean at the DeVos Graduate School and Co-advisor to the 2024-25 fieldwork teams. “These real-world consulting opportunities shape each student’s professional development, and they strengthen communities across Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region and beyond because we partner with such a diverse set of businesses and nonprofits.”
Fourteen organizations participated in this year’s initiative, including Bavarian Blast Waterpark, which is located in Frankenmuth and is Michigan’s newest and largest indoor water park and family fun center; Partners in Change, which provides psychological services in Midland; Discover You, a Midland-based community-centered youth development initiative; Salt Spring Ice Cream in Sanford; and Char Stone House, an Italian bistro that’s in development in Gladwin.
“This program truly is a win-win situation,” said Patrick McElgunn, Northwood University Idea Center Director and Co-advisor for this year’s fieldwork teams. “The students take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it in a real-life scenario, with a real business and real problems to solve — and the organizations benefit from working with a group of highly motivated and knowledgeable graduate students.”
Each student team served as a consulting group, tasked with understanding a client’s unique challenges and goals, then delivering research-driven, strategic solutions. Clients reported gaining actionable insights and detailed analyses that many small businesses lack the resources to pursue on their own.
Meeting Community Needs with Purpose
Lauren Waiss joined the Partners in Change team because of her passion for mental health advocacy.
“We were asked to assess their current market and communication efforts, identify barriers to client acquisition, and recommend ways to strengthen their visibility and reach,” she explained.
Waiss and her team conducted internal interviews, audited existing materials, and reviewed client intake data. Their recommendations included clarifying the organization’s messaging, improving website user experience, and developing scalable recruitment strategies. These insights weren’t just academic — they were customized, implementable steps designed to increase the organization’s reach and impact.
“The hands-on nature of the consulting work gave me a chance to apply classroom concepts in a way that was both practical and meaningful,” Waiss added. “It gave me the confidence that I can walk into any environment — corporate, nonprofit, or otherwise — and add value.”
Helping New Ventures Take Root
For Conner Compton, the opportunity to work with Char Stone House in Gladwin was a chance to help shape a new business from the ground up. Positioned as a future community hub centered on Italian cuisine and wine, the Char Stone House team leaned on student consultants for support with launch strategy, customer engagement, and operational efficiency.
“This was more than just a marketing plan,” Compton explained. “We focused on building a sustainable business model, stable pricing strategies, and fostering long-term community relationships.”
Compton’s biggest lesson from the experience? Learning the importance of shared motivation and mutual vision in collaborative work.
“It’s not just about communicating with teammates, but understanding what drives them,” he said. “That made our team stronger and more effective.”
Professionalism That Surpasses Expectations
The quality of student work exceeded expectations for many partners, including Bavarian Blast Waterpark, part of the renowned Zehnder’s hospitality enterprise in Frankenmuth. Marketing Manager Kelly Martin noted that even with a robust in-house marketing team, the students’ work brought unique value through fresh eyes and detailed competitor research.
“We were just blown away by their professionalism, their timeliness on everything, the communication, the quick responses via email — it exceeded our expectations on working with a group of students,” Martin said.
She emphasized that businesses without large marketing departments or research budgets would especially benefit from these partnerships. “I would 100% recommend this — both for the student experience and the value it brings to businesses.”
Beyond the Classroom: Building Confidence and Capability
According to McElgunn, the impact went both ways.
“Many clients told us our teams not only validated their gut instincts but provided research and analysis to back them up,” McElgunn said. “Others said our students gave them fresh insights they hadn’t considered before.”
But the true transformation was visible in the students themselves.
“The biggest takeaway was students realizing how truly valuable their work is,” McElgunn added. “They started to see themselves as subject-matter experts, trusted advisors who could walk into a business and make a real impact.”
Cripps echoed the sentiment, emphasizing how the project challenges students to juggle ambiguity and real-world complexity.
“There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. They have to listen, prioritize needs, justify recommendations, and communicate in ways clients understand,” she said. “They grow immensely through that process.”
Impact Across the Region
The DeVos teams also supported Forge Fitness in Gladwin, Regent Floral & Mercantile in Bay City, Frick’s Sports Bar & Grill in Midland, LaLonde’s Market in Midland, Midland Sports Rehab, Covenant Glenn in Frankenmuth, ACI Transport in Ferndale, Folio, which provides coworking space solutions for professionals in Michigan, and Eagle Village, a 681-acre campus in Hersey, Michigan, that annually serves hundreds of trauma-impacted kids through residential treatment, adoption and foster care, short-term interventions, and specialized summer camps.
“Whether conducting focus groups for a startup, auditing websites for accessibility and SEO, or drafting job descriptions for recruitment strategy, the students consistently applied their academic learning to real-world problems — gaining confidence, leadership, and practical know-how along the way,” McElgunn noted.
Businesses/organizations are matched with DeVos fieldwork teams each fall. Entities interested in working with the next cohort of graduate students can email Kennedy Cripps at .
“As Northwood continues to champion entrepreneurial thinking and real-world learning, the DeVos fieldwork initiative stands out as a shining example of Northwood’s mission in action: preparing students to be free-enterprise leaders who drive business growth and social impact,” added Cripps. “With every client partnership, the ripple effects of their work extend beyond the classroom — and into the future of Michigan’s communities.”
