Najim Strategist
What is Najim Strategist?
As a Najim Strategist, you will join a diverse team to serve as a consultant for an organization, helping to address their issues, challenges, or opportunities. This role involves an 8-week commitment to researching and developing a solution to the organization's problem. Teams will dedicate at least 10 hours per week to meetings and research. Throughout the project, you will have regular meetings with the organization’s liaison. In the final week, your team will present its research findings and proposed solution. Prior to the start of the project, an orientation retreat will be held, giving you the opportunity to meet the Najim team and connect with fellow strategists.
As a Najim Strategist, you will utilize the core principles of our project-based learning approach.
What is Project-Based Learning?
Project-Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.
At the Najim Center, we make project-based learning come alive!
Our focus:
- Providing students with opportunities to work on REAL WORLD issues that both domestic and global organizations are facing.
- Helping startups, corporations and nonprofits identify innovative ways to solve their issues by way of project management.
What's in it for You?
- Work collaboratively (diverse team of students across disciplines, faculty, and businesses from all types of industries)
- Solve Problems (learning from failure and possibly having to start over)
- Be Creative (innovative, out of the box)
- Think Critically (analyzing and evaluating of the issue)
- Manage Projects (time management and priority of task)
- Get Curious (Ask questions)
- Become Empowered (take ownership, reflect on and give back)
Innovate Solutions and Gain Competitive Skills
You will act as a paid consultant for local corporations, nonprofits, and startups, utilizing your project management expertise to develop innovative solutions for their unique challenges. The Strategist program will equip you with valuable transferable skills and provide hands-on experience, making you a more competitive candidate in the job market!
Applications for Fall 2025 are now closed.
Fall 2026 applications will open in December 2025—check back soon!
Fall 2025 Applications are Open!
Strategist Calendar (Attendance is MANDATORY)
| Week 0 September 19th, 2025 |
Najim Strategist Orientation |
| Week 1 September 23rd, 2025 September 25th, 2025 |
Najim Partner Kickoff Sync-Session Working Day |
| Week 2 September 30th, 2025 October 2nd, 2025 |
Data Collections & Customer Delivery Sync-Session Working Day |
| Week 3 October 7th, 2025 October 9th, 2025 |
Data Synthesis & Insight Generation Sync-Session Working Day |
| Week 4 October 14th, 2025 October 16th, 2025 |
**NO CLASS THIS WEEK** (10/16/2025 – Big Rowdy Idea) |
| Week 5 October 21st, 2025 October 23rd, 2025 |
Developing Recommendations Sync-Session Working Day |
| Week 6 October 28th, 2025 October 30th, 2025 |
Building the Final Pitch & One-Sheeter Sync-Session Working Day |
| Week 7 November 4th, 2025 November 6th, 2025 |
Practice Presentations #1 Practice Presentations #2 |
| Week 8 November 11th, 2025 November 13th, 2025 |
Najim Strategist Consulting Final Presentation |
September 22nd, 2025 - November 13th, 2025 **Classes are In-Person Every Tuesday & Thursday from 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm**
Past Partners
- Geekdom
- Community First Healthplans
- Innovate
- Peace of Cake
- Betty's co.
- Boozy's Creamery & Craft
- Eat Drink Local
- The Entrepreneurial World
- Union Pacific
- The Chef Kaius Experience
- Thrive Youth Center
- Pathways Home Education
- Localism
- Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner
- Nourish'd Seeds, LLC
- The Pearl
- Alameda Theatre
- Pinetree Solar
- Area Real Estate
- Patent Systems
- The Good News Burger
- UTSA History Department
- Kleese College of Engineering and Integrated Design
- Wellmed
- Secure SA
- Greater SATX
- GP Health and Fitness
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
- Pathfiners Insurance
See Our Student Impact
