Integrated Core Experience

The Integrated Core Experience (ICE), McIntire’s cutting-edge third-year core curriculum, is carefully constructed to provide students with the technical, analytical, strategic-thinking and behavioral skills they need to successfully tackle real-world business problems. ICE is characterized by an intellectual and practical rigor rarely found at the undergraduate level. Over the course of the fall semester, students analyze a single business case, looking deeply at a given business’s numerous functions and the particular challenges it faces.

Benefits of ICE Sponsorship

McIntire’s corporate ICE sponsors not only develop close and lasting relationships with McIntire faculty members and students, they also benefit from the superb analytical skills, creativity, and fresh perspectives that students bring to the complex business problems with which sponsors present them.

ICE also offers sponsor companies a powerful recruitment tool as they search for their businesses’ next generation of leaders. Watching McIntire students problem solve gives sponsors the opportunity to gauge their academic caliber, analytic skills, and work ethic, as well as their leadership abilities and personal traits. Partnering with McIntire as an ICE sponsor affords businesses access to some of the world’s most promising young businesspeople—outstanding potential employees who have gained a deep familiarity not only with the dynamics of a sponsor company, but also with the challenges and opportunities the sponsor company faces.

Business Challenge, Accepted

McIntire students have tackled over 100 projects and served over 20 clients in industries including hospitality, CPG, energy, manufacturing, and technology.

Elevating the Traveler Experience: A Digital Transformation for Allianz Partners

Allianz Partners envisioned a future where their Allyz app could be more than just a digital document holder. They wanted it to evolve into a true travel companion, offering value to users before, during, and after their trips. Currently, the Allyz app primarily serves as an access point for policy benefits and documentation. To expand its role, students delved into the needs and pain points of various traveler segments. They aimed to identify innovative solutions that would differentiate Allyz from other travel apps without duplicating existing features in competing or complementary travel-oriented apps.

CarMax: Driving the Future of Automotive Retail

CarMax, a leading used car retailer, set a goal to accelerate its growth by capturing the hearts and wallets of Gen Z consumers. To double its revenue from this demographic over the next five years, CarMax needed to adapt its strategies to resonate with this digitally-native generation. To help CarMax achieve its goal, students deeply examined the Gen Z customer segment and created differentiated marketing tactics, enhanced the digital car-buying experience, and developed a strong brand identity for CarMax as the go-to destination for Gen Z car buyers.

Strategic Partnerships: Expanding Hilton's Horizons

Hilton, a global hospitality leader, wanted to strengthen its market position through strategic partnerships. Students analyzed the potential benefits of various partnerships, including collaborations with airlines, car rental companies, and lifestyle brands. They explored how these partnerships can enhance the guest experience, drive customer loyalty, and generate incremental revenue. By identifying synergies and measuring the impact of these alliances, students aimed to create a robust partnership strategy that aligns with Hilton's long-term goals.

Target Audience Optimization: A Strategic Growth Plan For [solidcore]

[solidcore], a leading fitness studio known for its challenging low-impact workouts, is poised to expand its customer base. The company is exploring two key demographics: men and individuals aged 40-55. To maximize growth and impact, students conducted a comprehensive analysis to determine the most promising demographic. Students researched factors such as fitness preferences, lifestyle habits, and pain points to identify opportunities for product innovation, marketing strategies, and overall brand experience.

ICE Sponsorship FAQs

What’s the sponsor’s role?

ICE sponsor executives work closely with approximately 16 student teams, guiding them through company data and history while also facilitating their understanding of the marketplace and the relevant issues at stake. Through the process, each student team develops its own business plan, integrating their strategies across a broad swath of disciplines, to address the sponsor firm’s real-world business problem.

What’s a typical ICE project?

Most ICE projects have a current theme and are integrative, strategic and high-level. Like board members, students address a business development question or opportunity currently being grappled with by the sponsor company. Sponsors may decide to have students offer cases for either a Project A or B, or leave the project more open-ended, asking students to focus on one area of the business and make strategic recommendations. The teams conduct market analyses, do in-depth research, financial analysis, and ROI, and consider how the opportunity fits into the company’s long-term strategy — everything a company would expect when considering a new opportunity.

Who should be on the sponsor team?

ICE sponsors generally elect a sort of “relationship champion” — a person who makes decisions on behalf of the company as they pertain to the sponsorship and the project. It is often helpful to appoint a junior executive to regularly interact with the student teams as they access company data, need a sounding board for ideas, and coordinate executive involvement.

How much collaboration or interaction should we expect?

Sponsors first interact with a faculty member to identify the question they want answered — the growth opportunity or potential new business — and, with professors, share pertinent information with students throughout the semester. Communication is roughly monthly at the late-summer outset but becomes more frequent as the student teams’ presentations draw nearer.

What is the timeline for involvement in ICE?

Sponsors’ semester-long involvement in the program has a few key elements to success:

July Planning Session: An introductory meeting with the ICE faculty team members to identify the project and discuss parameters. Follow-up discussion by phone/email.
Participants: Project leader and other sponsor relevant team members

September Intro Night: An evening session on Grounds, during which representatives provide a company overview.
Participants: CEO or business unit head and/or other senior business leaders

October Project Launch: Evening session introducing project parameters to students.
Participants: Project leader and team

November Project Check-In: A meeting to respond to questions about the project either in person, by videoconference, or by conference call.
Participants: Project leader and team

December Final Presentations: Observe project presentations and participate in Q&A session over one or two days on Grounds.
Participants: Project teams, senior management, interested sponsor members, recruiters

What is the financial commitment for ICE?

ICE sponsorship requires a two-year commitment, along with a $25,000 annual contribution to the McIntire School of Commerce. In addition to the many benefits of ICE sponsorship, sponsors also receive benefits and recognition in the McIntire Corporate Partners Program.

Hilton's Perspective: A Deep Dive into the Integrated Core

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If you're interested in learning more about the range of opportunities to consult with students at McIntire, please reach out.

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