Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC

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Club Mission

A Bit About PIIC

Penn International Impact Consulting is the oldest student-run consultancy at Penn providing pro-bono consulting services to NGOs and social entrepreneurs worldwide. We are composed of some of the brightest and most passionate globally-minded students from all four schools at the University of Pennsylvania.

PIIC is committed to empowering NGOs and social entrepreneurs in developing regions through meaningful work and international on-site engagements that make it unique to Penn’s community.

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Our Work

Our consultants work with NGOs and social enterprises on a diverse set of projects and deliverables throughout the school year and at the NGO’s headquarters during the first month of summer. Our overall goal is to take what we’ve learned at Penn and during our unique training sessions to create sustainable and long-term social impact for our partners.

Since the founding of PIIC, we’ve made good on our mission to create long-lasting global change. We have visited more than 40 countries on every continent aside from Oceania and Antarctica. We have partnered with more than 70 NGOs with specialties ranging from peacebuilding, HIV transmission prevention, to rural development. We have had the pleasure of scoping, completing, and analyzing the impact of more than 85 unique onsite and offsite consulting engagements. To learn more about our past projects, check out our annual report or visit https://penniic.org/client-services

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Our Family

PIIC members have so much more than just a working relationship. We are a small, close-knit community where everyone knows each other. Over the course of the year, we plan several social events for the club as a whole in addition to any events your individual consulting team plans. 

Also, the time you will spend with your consulting team, including the three-week on-site trip, is what makes PIIC a real family. Members in PIIC have found roommates, marathon partners, ice-skating instructors, and lifelong friends in each other!

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Make an Impact

For the upcoming school year, you will have the opportunity to join PIIC’s 2023 Associate Consultant Class. We have members across all undergraduate schools and you need zero consulting or business experience to join us - we'll teach you everything you need to know! If you are somebody with a passion for social impact, who collaborates well in teams, and is genuinely curious about learning and growing through PIIC, there is a place for you! 

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More From Us

Check out our videos to learn more about PIIC Culture, Projects, Trips, and why you should join! 

FAQ

Most Recent
Question: If you are a general body member, do you still get access to be a part of a team? Or do you have to apply as an associate consultant to be a part of a team? - Anonymous

As a general body member, you are able to support teams through our monthly GBMs: give feedback on presentations, help with select deliverables (e.g. surveys), and get to know members through open socials. However, you need to apply as an associate consultant to be a permanent team member, attend all team meetings / socials, work directly with the client, and travel onsite.

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What is the difference between GRC (Global Research Consulting) and SIC (Social Impact Consulting group) at Wharton, and PIIC? - Anonymous

Penn definitely has amazing opportuntities to engage with impact-driven consulting (including GRC and SIC, as you mentioned) and we urge you to take advantage of them! Some ways PIIC distinguishes itself from other clubs on campus is through our year-long (as opposed to semester-long) engagements with partner NGOs, as well our international on-site work. PIIC's tight-knit community is also incredibly special and one-of-a-kind. For more detail, please refer to the FAQ below highlighting differences between PIIC and other consulting organizations on campus. You can also learn more about the specific NGOs / projects PIIC has recently engaged with through our annual report: https://tinyurl.com/piic2324annualreport

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: Hi! I cannot find info events for fall 2021 on facebook. Are they up yet? - Anonymous

Hi! Please keep up to date with all of our events through our Instagram: @piic.upenn!

(updated for Fall 2024 cycle, as well)

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What is the difference between the application (on Penn Clubs) vs the interest form (on the Fall recruiting page)? Do you have to fill out both? - Anonymous

The interest form is so we can add you to our listserv and send updates about our recruitment process. The interest form is not considered an application to the club. In order to be considered for first round interviews, you need to fill out our application via Penn Clubs!

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: Will there be spring recruitment? - Anonymous

Hi! We typically do not recruit for the Spring as our projects run for the full academic year. If you are interested in PIIC, please apply during our Fall recruitment cycle!

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What are the average fees for the on-site trips? - Anonymous

Costs vary based on the specific location and duration of each trip. Prior to team selection, PIIC provides detailed financial estimates for each on-site trip to allow members to make informed choices. PIIC also recommends numerous grants and other sources of funding to all members to alleviate financial strain. Additionally, members can elect an off-site team, which does not travel

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What is your mission beyond serving your clients? - Anonymous
PIIC's mission is to create long-lasting global change through on-site and off-site consulting engagements with NGO partners across the globe and raising student awareness on the importance of international development and social impact’s role in the professional world. To learn more about our founding, values, and impact, visit penniic.org/about for more!
- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What are the club fees (especially for the on-site trip)? - Anonymous

There are no fees to join PIIC! As for on-site trips, most PIIC members apply for grants from the University that cover travel expenses.

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: Is PIIC considering applications from junior students? - Anonymous

While PIIC welcomes juniors and seniors to join our club as GBMers, we only take Associate Consultant applications from freshmen and sophomores

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What if I don’t know anything about consulting? - Anonymous

We don't expect you to, we teach you! 

Throughout the year, we host training sessions with our AC Cohort where you learn how to build consulting pitch decks, advanced Microsoft Excel, financial modeling, and much more. What we are looking for is somebody with a dedication to social impact, who collaborates well in teams, and is genuinely curious about learning and growing through PIIC. Please rest assured that almost none of us came into the application process with consulting/casing experience.

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What kind of NGOs have you guys worked on? - Anonymous

We have partnered with more than 70 NGOs with specialties ranging from peacebuilding, HIV transmission prevention, to rural development. Visit our website (penniic.org) to see more of what we have worked on

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: What makes PIIC different from other consulting clubs? - Anonymous

There are three main ways that PIIC sets itself apart from the other consulting organization on campus.

1) PIIC primarily focuses on working pro bono with some of the largest international NGOs/nonprofits. Impact is at the core of client scoping, deliverable creation, and execution, and our clients are always based internationally.

2) PIIC works through year-long engagements. This means that as a new member, you will form a meaningful bond with your team, while also getting to work closely with founders, CEOs, and executive-level employees who inspire our work. The associate consulting experience is designed to maximize client interaction, provide tangible experience, and forge familial relationships within teams.

3) PIIC is the only undergraduate organization with international on-site engagements, where we tangibly get to implement our projects, see our impact, and travel together abroad. Thinking as a global citizen is important to each of us, and the on-site component of our work is critical to capstoning our year-long engagements. 

Overall, PIIC is a small, close-knit organization of 40 students where everyone knows each other and is the perfect place for finding lifelong friendships, mentorships, and experiences

- Penn International Impact Consulting - PIIC
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Question: I'm an incoming graduate student (SP2/NPL) and I would love to be part of this club. Are you currently accepting new members? - Shamichael Hallman
Our consultants are all undergrads. However, I encourage you to check out WGIC (Wharton Global Impact Consultants) as they do similar work with graduate students! Alternatively, PIIC has a few Graduate/MBA students who serve as advisors for our teams. You would not have to go through the formal application process but reach out separately to us via our FB page or email.
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How to Get Involved

We will be recruiting an incoming cohort of Associate Consultants this fall. Class of '27 and Class of '28 from all schools and majors are welcome to apply! Be sure to follow our Instagram Page (piic.upenn) and visit https://penniic.org/fall-recruiting for all the info on the 2024 Recruiting Cycle including our events, video testimonials, projects, interview tips, and much more. Also, be sure to hit the bookmark and bell on the top right of this page to be added to our listserv to stay up to date with our upcoming events and recruiting cycle. Learn about how you can make an impact, build professional skills, discover career opportunities, and become a part of the PIIC family 🌏

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