Helping a Local Business Bloom This fall, Washington and Lee Student Consulting tackled a new project for a local business with a sustainability focus.

By Kelsey Goodwin
December 16, 2022

Washington and Lee students got the opportunity to connect with alumni and a few furry friends this fall at Yonderyear Farm, a new local business recently added to the roster of community projects being tackled by Washington and Lee’s Student Consulting group.

Washington and Lee Student Consulting is a student organization and a co-curricular program housed in the Williams School that is open to all students regardless of major. Recruitment takes place during the fall and is open to sophomores and juniors who meet the 3.3 GPA requirement. Members meet on weekly basis with Lloyd Tanlu, associate professor of accounting, to develop professional skills, engage with guest speakers, and present and provide feedback on each individual project. Tanlu’s course, BUS 197, is now also a Community-Based Learning (CBL) designated course.

“Our programs have very similar goals,” said, Alessandra Del Conte Dickovick, associate director of community-based learning. “CBL and WLSC provide students with hands-on opportunities to deepen their academic and professional learning and growth, and a critical component of this involves collaborating respectfully and effectively on projects that will also benefit organizations, be they local, regional, national, or international.”

Katherine Ho ’23, Sarah Haynes ’23 and Elliott Marron ’23 worked with Yonderyear Farm to offer the growing business market research and growth strategy recommendations, particularly on how to attract younger consumers. The farm, owned by Kevin Green ’07 and Amanda Green ’06, specializes in natural flowers as well as grass-fed meat raised using sustainable farming practices. The Greens said that working with the class gave them helpful insights on how to market their business to a younger audience while educating consumers about sustainability.

“They’re doing market research and figuring out what aspects of the farm, from health to sustainability to beauty, are the most interesting attributes,” Kevin Green said. “All three of them bring a different perspective.”

Ho ’23, an accounting major and poverty studies minor from Naperville, Illinois said that working with the Greens and her WLSC teammates was an invaluable learning experience.

“I was drawn to WLSC because it was an opportunity to work with actual clients and enjoyed the community-centered aspect of many of the WLSC projects,” Ho said. “I have had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects and have learned many valuable lessons.”