We invite corporate, government, and non-profit partners as well as local stakeholders and alumni to join the Grand Challenges sustainable business community.
Our most successful partnerships are driven by shared learning, service, and engagement united around a common cause. Together we can leverage our collective resources and support the mutual goal of business for a better world.
Who we are
The Grand Challenges Program develops future business leaders by:
Embedding into the curriculum complex—and concrete—community challenges on a local and global scale.
Helping students develop critical skills in self-awareness, project teamwork, and leadership for societal impact.
The Grand Challenges Program develops future business leaders by:
All students are required to complete a team-based engaged-learning project with an external client or community partner.
During the Grand Challenges course sequence, students build critical “sharp skills” (e.g., statistical thinking and data analytics) and “smart skills” (e.g., communications and leadership) through hands-on and applied learning.
With a human-centered focus and emphasis on critical reflection, students are compelled to think about “stakeholders beyond shareholders.”
Student project teams are mentored and supported by MBA students through a cross-college leadership initiative.
The program is a natural outgrowth of our expertise in agricultural economics and sustainable business and at the core of Dyson’s mission: “Our Business is a Better World.”
Engagement opportunities
The Grand Challenges curriculum is required of all Dyson undergraduate students. Through both curricular and co-curricular activities, we have created intentional touchpoints for engagement with students as well as networking opportunities for corporate partners in the area of sustainable business.
Share your expertise through guest lecture opportunities
Guest lectures by prominent business executives, entrepreneurs, social activists, authors, policymakers, and professors highlight the characteristics of successful business acumen and demonstrate the Dyson ethos in action: our business is a better world. If you would like to learn more about opportunities to guest lecture in Dyson courses, please contact our program team.
Sponsor a project team by giving your time and talents
The Grand Challenges Program culminates in a semester-long, client-facing experiential learning project, in which teams of 4-5 students work under the close supervision of a faculty member on a real-world problem at the local, regional, national, or global level.
Grand Challenges team project topics may include (but are not limited to): corporate finance; market research; consumer behavior; decision-making; strategy; market entry; data analytics; innovation or new product development; and operations. Students may also support organizations in concept development, social media or website development, incorporation or tax status determinations, business plan development, competitive analysis, event planning or fundraising, and any work that is community-engaged and addresses one of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals such as equity, hunger, poverty, and climate action.
To learn more about Grand Challenges projects or to propose a project, please review information on our project webpage.
Attend the Grand Challenges Impact Competition or a co-curricular event
The Grand Challenges Impact Competition occurs each semester as part of Dyson Better Business Week in partnership with the Dyson Undergraduate Council. The Impact Competition offers student project teams a chance to present their project plan and win funding to support the goals of their client or community partner. Rather than award the prize money to winning teams, a panel of distinguished judges allocates funding to do the greatest good, and donations are awarded directly to project sponsors or non-profit organizations engaged in work aligned with their client.
Students learn to sell their ideas, hone their pitch, and develop a deeper understanding of how even small amounts of funding can have a positive impact on organizations and the communities they serve.
If you would like to attend the Grand Challenges Impact Competition, evaluate first-round pitch submissions, or judge at the live event during Better Business Week, please contact our program team. Throughout the year, the Grand Challenges Program hosts additional events with students that are open to our larger community, and our program team can tell you more.
Participate in a sustainable business internship or career fair, host students during a career trek or join a career panel
Sustainable business career fairs allow employers to showcase their programs and give students an opportunity to interact directly with organizations seeking employees in ESG, climate finance, sustainable business, non-profit management, and fields outside of traditional finance and banking. With a primary focus on first- and second-year students, fairs are open to students from all majors and colleges to attend and learn more about careers in sustainable business.
New York City based companies can host students in January during an Impact Career Trek for a behind-the-scenes tour that introduces students to people and pathways within your organization. Career Treks provide both an important educational function (introducing students to key industry trends and issues) as well as excellent networking opportunities.
Organizations can join a virtual career panel to highlight opportunities at their company. This is an excellent way to interact with a large group of first-year Dyson students who are in the early stages of their career exploration.
If you would like to donate to the Grand Challenges Program to partially cover our operating costs including compensation of MBA Coaches, software and professional development training, team travel (including international travel to project partners who are abroad), and events such as the Grand Challenges Impact Competition, you can make a donation here. We greatly appreciate your support, and donors are recognized in our annual e-newsletter.
“What a wonderful experience to work closely with students in Dyson Grand Challenges, and find meaningful ways to engage and come up with solutions for our case study together. If they gained as much as I did through the program, it should then be considered a grand success!”
— Joseph Yoon
Brooklyn Bugs
Working with the Dyson student team was a pleasure. Our young but ambitious nonprofit has an extremely small staff, so the opportunity for us to engage a group of bright and eager business students was a wonderful opportunity and an asset to our organization.
— Danielle Caldwell
All One One All Farm
Create positive change for the future
We look to the future with hope — empowering tomorrow’s leaders to create lasting, positive change. At a time when our world needs compassionate, service-driven, globally-minded leaders more than ever, we invite you to engage with us and support business as a force for good in the world.
Please join us as we seek to build awareness of the broader impacts of business on society and, through the process of public engagement, to strengthen partnerships and develop future leaders. We welcome the opportunity to work with you and invite you to contact our program team to learn more about collaborating with us.
