Grow Irish Experience
A distinctive feature of the Mendoza MBA curriculum, Grow Irish occurs twice annually, in mid-October after Module 1—Fall Grow Irish—and early March after Module 3—Spring Grow Irish. The MBA Grow Irish portfolio features diverse learning opportunities throughout the course of your MBA journey to build your skill set, gain real-world experience, and elevate your career readiness.
Grow personally and professionally through hands-on experiences
Grow your circle by networking with the ND community
Grow the good in business by driving real-world impact
First Year Curriculum
Given the traditional MBA recruiting cycles, Fall Grow Irish (mid-October) marks a pivotal period for first-year MBA students to prioritize acquiring technical skills. During Fall Grow Irish, first-year MBA students will complete weeklong skill-building workshops aligned with their chosen MBA pathway.
Options for Second-Year Students
Grow Irish is designed as a core learning experience for first-year MBAs, allowing second-year students the flexibility to explore a range of high-impact opportunities. During Fall Grow Irish week, second-years may choose to:
- Dedicate time to networking and interviewing
- Participate in pathway-aligned skill building courses
- Engage in the Silicon Valley Tech Immersion
- Enroll in Frontlines Practicum: Local Impact
- Compete in Case Competitions
First Year Curriculum
During Spring Grow Irish (early March), first-year MBA students are ready to put their business knowledge into action and gain valuable professional experience through weeklong consulting projects. Leveraging the power of the Notre Dame alumni network, the Experiential Learning team connects MBA student teams with diverse project organizations representing a wide range of career paths. Students gain hands-on experience in strategic problem-solving, consulting methodologies, and client collaboration, preparing them to contribute meaningfully in their internships.
Options for Second-Year Students
Grow Irish is designed as a core learning experience for first-year MBAs, allowing second-year students the flexibility to explore a range of high-impact opportunities. During Spring Grow Irish week, second-years may choose to:
- Dedicate time to networking and interviewing
- Engage in the International Business Immersion (Chile)
- Enroll in Business on the Frontlines or Regenerating Ecologies and Economies for Livelihoods (REEL)
- Apply for the Applied Investment Management semester-length course
- Compete in Case Competitions
My Grow Irish experience provided a hands-on opportunity to apply classroom concepts to real-world business challenges, strengthening my financial modeling and strategic analysis skills...This experience reinforced my commitment to using business as a force for good by leveraging analytical skills to drive impactful decision-making.Pooja Poddar, MBA ‘25
Notre Dame MBA students arrive in El Paso, Texas, to consult with Food City Supermarkets, a third-generation, family run business led by ND alumni Stanley Santos, ND ’82, and Melissa Santos, ND ’11.
The Grow Irish hands-on experiential learning project immersed students in the sights, sounds, and smells of Food City’s bakery, beloved for its made-from-scratch Mexican delicacies.
The team gets to work as it strives to improve the customer experience and production practices for Food City’s bakery and deli departments.
The Grow Irish team caps off the week with a feast worthy of Food City’s reputation.
The MBA students on Team Starta began their week with a deep dive into startup competitions.
Students and project mentors exchange ideas in building Starta VC’s next generation of startup competitions and programming for budding entrepreneurs in and around New York City.
The students talk through their research and strategies before sharing their final recommendations with Starta VC leadership.
Team Starta knows they hit the mark after delivering their final presentation.
The Canvas Global, an NYC-based curator of international brands that offers unique and rare products, welcomed the Notre Dame MBA Grow Irish consulting project team.
Students analyzed store inventory as they developed a data-driven growth strategy for The Canvas Global.
Student Rushil Bedi (center) reflected: “I had the invaluable opportunity to harness the knowledge and skills acquired in my classes to formulate strategic recommendations that not only accelerated the startup’s growth but also significantly enhanced their overall business strategy.”
Notre Dame MBA students traveled to NYC to work with Consulting for a Cause, a for-profit consulting firm founded by Paula Barbag that focuses on equitable healthcare access for women.
At a critical stage in the organization’s development, students presented its diverse stakeholders and collaborators with a detailed business plan and growth strategy.
Grow Irish encourages students to listen deeply to each other, their mentors, and clients to find novel solutions to the challenges they face.