Partners & Supporters

What Makes a Good Capstone Project

If you’re considering submitting a project, here’s what we’ve found leads to an impactful and productive partnership:

A Clearly Defined Challenge
Ideal projects address a specific operational, marketing, fan engagement or strategic issue your organization wants to explore more deeply. The challenge should be meaningful but not so broad that it lacks direction.

Measurable Inputs or Access to Data
Projects are most successful when students can work with real data such as attendance trends, sales figures, engagement metrics, survey results, financial reports or workflow observations. This information supports accurate analysis and strong recommendations.

Openness to Analysis and Exploration
The DMAIC approach allows students to investigate root causes, identify inefficiencies, evaluate opportunities and generate evidence-based solutions. Organizations that welcome fresh perspectives benefit most from the process.

Room for Improvement
Projects should offer a genuine opportunity for innovation or optimization. Examples include improving fan experience, refining ticketing strategies, enhancing community outreach, strengthening sponsorship activation, streamlining operations or assessing new revenue opportunities.

Feasibility for Implementation
While students aim big, the best projects involve solutions that are realistically implementable within your organization’s structure, resources and long-term goals.

Willingness to Engage
Strong partnerships include a primary point of contact who can offer guidance, answer questions and provide context as students move through the DMAIC phases. Engagement can be light but should be consistent.

By partnering with the Schanwald Sports Management Program, your organization gains fresh insights, data-backed recommendations and a dedicated student team committed to solving a real challenge. Together, we can build a meaningful project that benefits your organization and helps develop the next generation of sports business leaders.

Benefits to Your Organization

Partnering with the Schanwald Sports Management Program gives sports organizations the opportunity to tap into fresh thinking, evidence-based analysis and dedicated problem-solving — all while supporting the development of future industry professionals. When you share a real challenge with our students, you gain more than ideas; you gain a strategic partner for the semester.

What Your Organization Gains

Actionable, Data-Driven Insights
Students use the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) framework to deliver structured, data-based recommendations. You will receive a final report and presentation outlining findings, solutions and potential next steps.

Fresh Perspectives and Innovative Thinking
Students bring curiosity, creativity and a willingness to challenge assumptions. Their diverse academic backgrounds and coursework help them identify opportunities that internal teams may not have time to explore.

Support on High-Priority or Back-Burner Initiatives
Whether your organization has a new idea or a longstanding challenge, student teams provide bandwidth to move projects forward — especially valuable for resource-constrained departments.

Talent Pipeline Visibility
Working closely with students gives you a firsthand look at emerging sports industry talent. Many organizations use capstone partnerships as a recruiting tool for internships, part-time roles or full-time positions after graduation.

Enhanced Community and University Engagement
Your partnership strengthens connections with the University of Maryland. You play an active role in shaping the educational experience of future sports business leaders while contributing to regional workforce development.

Professional, High-Quality Deliverables
At the end of the project, you will receive:

• A structured analysis of the challenge
• Well-supported recommendations
• Visualized data, charts and process maps (as appropriate)
• Ideas for implementation and next steps
• Opportunities for future collaboration

Partnering with us is an investment in your organization’s growth and in the development of future sports industry leaders. Together, we can drive innovation, solve meaningful challenges and build lasting connections.

What Does Participation Require?

Partnering with the Schanwald Sports Management Program is designed to be meaningful, collaborative and efficient. We handle most logistics — your primary role is to guide the project challenge and stay engaged with the student team throughout the semester. Here’s what to expect:

Project Scoping & Kickoff
July–August for fall projects
November–December for spring projects

Your participation begins with a kickoff meeting with SMP staff, where we work with you to define the project scope, goals, success metrics and key constraints. This ensures your challenge is well-framed and ready for students to begin using the DMAIC process.

Meetings With Your Capstone Team
September–December for fall projects
February–May for spring projects

Over the course of the semester, you can expect about 10 meetings (30–45 minutes each) with your Capstone Team. These typically include:

• A project kickoff meeting with your assigned student team
• Short check-ins or progress updates every two to three weeks
• A final presentation at the end of the project

These touchpoints keep the project aligned with your priorities while requiring a manageable time commitment.

Data Sharing & Organizational Support

To help students build meaningful, data-informed solutions, we ask partners to:

• Provide access to relevant data, documents or past research as appropriate
• Offer feedback and context as students develop their analysis and recommendations

This does not require sensitive or proprietary information — only what students need to understand the challenge and craft strong recommendations.

Stakeholder Connections

Your team will benefit from hearing multiple perspectives. We ask partners to:

• Facilitate introductions to staff or departments connected to the project
• Help clarify workflows, challenges or decision-making processes

These conversations enrich the students’ understanding and strengthen the final deliverables.

Capstone Symposium (Optional but Encouraged)
December for fall projects
May for spring projects

At the end of the semester, all partners are invited to attend the Schanwald SMP Capstone Symposium, where student teams present their final findings and recommendations. While not required, your presence:

• Shows students you value their work
• Helps you ask questions and explore next steps
• Highlights your organization’s commitment to innovation and talent development