Consultant Profile: Michelle Shah
Meet a four-semester Epic Intentions senior consultant!
Michelle Shah is a third year Industrial Engineer. She has worked on four different nonprofit projects with Epic Intentions:
- WonderRoot (Spring 2019) — developed KPIs to track social engagement
- Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer Foundation (Fall 2019) — analyzed and improved the organization’s current marketing strategies
- Chattahoochee Riverkeep (Spring 2020) — created a campus ambassador program to spread awareness of the organization
- Old Fourth Ward Business Association (Fall 2020) — developed a project management tool to track the organization’s progress in creating a Community Improvement District
Michelle joined Epic Intentions in January 2019 to expand her skill set and get hands-on project experience outside of the classroom. After seeing what different organizations do for Atlanta, Michelle is more interested in nonprofits; she recognizes the love these organizations have for their neighborhoods and is grateful to be a part of this work and know that she is making a difference in her community.
Interview with Michelle
Q: What is your favorite project you worked on?
A: “My favorite project I worked on was with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer Foundation. We worked on improving their marketing strategies and designing new pamphlets for them. I had a lot of fun with my team that semester, and it was really enjoyable to work on something outside of my comfort zone.”
Q: What was the most challenging project you worked on?
A: “My most challenging project was my first one with WonderRoot. They asked us to develop key performance indicators to track their social engagement, and, as a freshman, I had no idea how to go about this. I spent a lot of time researching KPIs and social media engagement metrics to get started on this project. Luckily, my team of diverse majors and years really helped me learn and grow a lot in this semester.”
Q: What have you learned by working on nonprofit consulting projects? How have you grown personally, academically, and professionally from this?
A: “I have learned so much from being in Epic. I have become a better team member, a better analyst, and a better communicator since being a part of this organization. I have been exposed to different types of organizations, from arts to environmental to legal. I have grown not only in my skills but in my passion for helping people. I got my first internship, which was with a non-profit, largely because of my involvement with this club.”
Q: What have you learned about teamwork, project management, or professional communication during your time with Epic Intentions?
A: “Teamwork, project management, and communication are all important skills when it comes to consulting. These skills foster creativity and learning. Being able to ask your fellow team members for help is such an important quality to have. It creates a better working environment and allows people to use their skills to help the group. Everyone has something they can bring to the table. With project management, goals can be completed in a timely manner. Keeping the big picture in mind, it is important to make intermediate steps to maximize efficiency and ensure that everyone is on the same page. In consulting, it is important to be able to explain your project to your client, someone that may have no technical knowledge. Epic has taught me so much about all of this and more.”
