Cohort 34 member Joe Houghton (right) with his Maryland Impact Project Team from Snider Consulting Group.

There are over 800 clubs at the University of Maryland, and a new student consulting group filled with QUESTees is determined to help them! Snider Consulting Group (SCG) uses skills in process improvement, marketing, and research to support their clients: the student clubs of UMD. I had the opportunity to speak with a few QUEST students involved in this exciting new organization that helps support the campus community.

Joe Houghton (Cohort 34) founded SCG along with two of his friends, Natalie Hirsch and Devin Streight. “The three of us started the idea, and then we received funding and support from the Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets. The whole goal of SCG is to strengthen the UMD community,” Joe said. “The entire focus and mission is instead of consulting for nonprofits, start-ups, or other companies, we apply all the same processes and experiences to other clubs. College is for students to explore what they’re really passionate about. We want to strengthen clubs so that every student can experience what they’re interested in and passionate about while in college.” Since their launch in the fall 2020 semester, some of SCG’s clients have included TAMID, the History Undergraduate Association, the Actuary Club, and the Business Law Society.

The success of SCG has been in part due to the partnerships they’ve established. The Student Organization Resource Center (SORC) often sends clubs who need strategic help to SCG. Additionally, SCG has partnered with Ernst & Young (EY). When Joe announced the kickoff of SCG on LinkedIn, a managing director at EY happened to see the post through a mutual connection. After discussing SCG further with the EY managing director, Joe said, “He offered a team of consultants that actually consult with us on our projects. They’re giving us their industry experience. Bringing in EY and speaking with them really peels back the layers between corporate firms and students. I don’t feel anxious speaking to the consultants. I feel comfortable.”

Many of the analysts at SCG are QUESTees! Kunal Parikh (Cohort 36) always held an interest in consulting, and he sought an opportunity with SCG due to their unique mission. “There weren’t a lot of organizations where you worked directly within UMD to help our clubs and organizations prosper. That idea really attracted me to SCG.” Kunal said.

Jessica Strongin (Cohort 36) was introduced to SCG by her roommate, Caroline Dull (Cohort 36), who is a member of the first cohort of SCG analysts. Caroline’s projects through SCG sounded interesting to Jessica, and SCG hit the right balance for Jessica. “As a chemical engineering major, I really struggled to find time for extracurricular activities because I have such demanding coursework and research,” she said. “Instead of being in just one club, I get to help a bunch of them; learn about their values, goals, and missions; and apply my background to helping them.”

Jessica is thankful to have her experience in SCG help her be successful in QUEST and vice versa. “SCG is a really friendly atmosphere where everyone is close. It’s not just about communication, it’s about trust. Going through QUEST, I’ve noticed that when you start building trust between either you and your client or you and your team, work is significantly more efficient,” Jessica said. “Everyone can critique each other safely without feeling like their feelings are hurt. In the end, the deliverable becomes so much better. I definitely feel that atmosphere from both QUEST and SCG.” 

Kunal agrees with Jessica that both organizations have helped him learn to work effectively on teams. “The one thing I see in common between QUEST and SCG is the camaraderie. I think when you have a close relationship with either your client or your team, you’re going to be more successful,” Kunal said.

When Joe discussed the future of SCG, he said, “SCG is here to stay. We want to keep helping clubs, we want to keep having a positive presence and impact on the UMD community as a whole. We are here to help the community, and we are here to help the students and clubs at UMD. If there’s ever a club that needs help, if there’s ever a student who has interest in something, we encourage them to speak with us because we are always available to help.”

Learn more about Snider Consulting Group at https://sniderconsultinggroup.com/