Georgetown McDonough MBA Consulting Day: How Student Leaders Elevated a Key Fall Recruiting Event

On select Fridays each fall, Georgetown McDonough’s campus takes on a different rhythm. Classrooms fill with alumni and employers, student leaders manage packed agendas, and MBA students move quickly between sessions, introductions, and conversations that may shape their next career step.

Those moments are not accidental. They are the result of Georgetown McDonough’s Career Days, full-day, industry-focused events organized by MBA student clubs in close collaboration with the McDonough Career Center. Held throughout the fall semester, these Fridays are designed to bring students, alumni, and employers together to explore career paths, understand industry expectations, and begin building professional relationships early in the recruiting cycle.

Among the most anticipated is Consulting Day, hosted annually by the Georgetown Consulting Club. Timed to align with the early stages of the fall recruiting cycle, this career-focused event gives MBA students a concentrated opportunity to engage directly with consulting practitioners and firms at a pivotal moment.

Consulting Day 2025: Scale, Purpose, and Student Leadership

Held early in the fall recruiting season, Consulting Day 2025 brought together 123 MBA students, 39 primarily alumni consulting practitioners, 30 volunteers (mostly second-year MBA students), and representatives from 13 consulting firms.

Consulting Day Co-Directors Dulguun Bat-Amgalan (MBA’26), Pranav Sood (MBA’26), and Sriram Gurunath Venkatesh (MBA’26) led the effort, balancing logistics, firm engagement, and student experience.

The leadership team reviewed prior Consulting Day formats, met with stakeholders, and refined programming to help first-year MBA students better understand consulting recruiting timelines, firm expectations, and how to prepare for early employer interactions.

Aligning Students and Firms at the Start of the Recruiting Cycle

For many students, Consulting Day represents their first structured interaction with consulting practitioners. Recognizing the importance of that early touchpoint, the leadership team focused on making the experience informative, approachable, and practical.

Based on student feedback, the agenda incorporated sessions designed to address real recruiting questions. One highlight was a Boston Consulting Group workshop focused on effective networking, helping students move beyond scripted conversations and approach firm interactions with greater confidence and clarity.

The objectives were clear:

• Help students identify consulting firms aligned with their interests and goals;
• Give firms early, meaningful exposure to Georgetown McDonough MBA talent; and
• Enable stronger connections ahead of formal on-campus recruiting.

“This was an amazing opportunity to connect with practitioners and ask questions in a safe setting,” said Sriram Gurunath Venkatesh (MBA’26).

Inside Consulting Day: How the Experience Unfolded

From the opening sessions through final conversations, Consulting Day was designed to sustain momentum while creating space for thoughtful engagement.

Morning Panels: Industry Perspective and Practitioner Insight

Two panels featuring firms such as Bain and Boston Consulting Group grounded the day in real-world perspective. One discussion explored the consulting landscape and recruiting environment, while the other highlighted individual career paths and practitioner experiences within the field.

Breakout Sessions: Direct Access to Firms and Alumni

10 consulting firms participated in 20-minute rotational breakout sessions, allowing students to engage directly with practitioners and alumni in small-group settings and ask candid, role-specific questions.

Networking That Extended the Conversation

The day concluded with open networking, where initial introductions often turned into deeper conversations and early relationship-building.

From Conversations to Follow-Ups: Early Recruiting Momentum Takes Shape

The impact of Consulting Day 2025 extended well beyond the event itself.

Following the program, Venkatesh organized an in-person meeting between first-year MBA students and Saatva Consulting, a firm that proactively reached out after being impressed by Georgetown McDonough talent.

The event also helped catalyze a wave of coffee chats and follow-up conversations during the early weeks of fall recruiting, giving students a natural starting point for continued engagement.

“Consulting Day provided a pretext for students to reach out to firms because they were already engaged with them,” said Pranav Sood (MBA’26).

Leadership Development Through Real-World Execution

For the student organizers, Consulting Day was also a hands-on leadership experience.

The co-directors coordinated stakeholders, managed volunteers, worked directly with firms, and made data-informed decisions under real constraints. To optimize breakout room assignments, they partnered with a Georgetown professor to develop an Excel-based model that balanced student preferences with firm availability.

The experience mirrored the type of collaboration, structure, and problem-solving students will encounter in consulting roles and beyond.

Guidance for Future Students and Organizers

Sood encourages students to approach Consulting Day with curiosity rather than pressure, emphasizing the value of learning and relationship-building early in the process.

For future co-directors, Venkatesh underscores the importance of starting early, building on what previously worked, and continuously refining the experience based on student feedback.

FAQs

What is MBA Consulting Day at Georgetown McDonough?

Consulting Day is a student-led fall recruiting event hosted by the Georgetown Consulting Club. It connects MBA students with consulting firms, alumni, and practitioners early in the recruiting cycle.

Who attends Consulting Day?

MBA students, primarily alumni consulting practitioners, student volunteers, and representatives from consulting firms.

Why does Consulting Day matter for MBA consulting recruiting?

It helps students understand recruiting timelines and firm expectations. It also provides early opportunities to build relationships with practitioners before formal on-campus recruiting begins.

What happens during Consulting Day?

Students participate in panels, firm breakouts, and networking. The format is designed to support direct conversations with practitioners and alumni in the industry.

How does Consulting Day build leadership skills?

Student leaders plan and run the event, coordinating stakeholders, volunteers, and firms. They apply real-world skills in communication, collaboration, and data-informed planning.

How does Consulting Day help students follow up with firms?

It gives students a clear starting point for outreach. Many students continue conversations through coffee chats and other follow-ups during the fall recruiting season.