By Arial Starks
Vanderbilt Business is excited to announce the project partners for the Accelerator® Summer Business Immersion class of 2025. Each year, the Vanderbilt Accelerator program collaborates with reputable brands, providing a hands-on learning experience for undergraduate students. This year, the Accelerator students will be working with Mars and its portfolio of leading pet care products, Bridgestone, the world’s largest tire and rubber company, and tech giant, Asurion.
Cherrie Wilkerson
“We’re thrilled about this year’s client partnerships. Our students will step into the role of consultants, working with Mars, Bridgestone, and Asurion on real-world business challenges,” says Cherrie Wilkerson, Faculty Director of the Accelerator Summer Business Immersion at Vanderbilt Business. “These companies are eager to tap into the innovative thinking and fresh perspectives our students bring. Each project is designed to stretch their skills and accelerate their growth, preparing them for success well beyond the classroom.”
Vanderbilt Accelerator is an intensive, experiential learning program designed to jumpstart careers for undergraduate students and recent college graduates. Over the course of three weeks, students dive into real-world business challenges presented by top companies. Each week, the students work in teams to research, strategize, and build solutions to the challenges with guidance from experienced project coaches. By the end of the program, students present their final recommendations to company executives, who often implement the most compelling ideas.
“It’s more than a certificate, it’s a head start in the business world,” Wilkerson says.
This year’s Accelerator Summer Business Immersion will run from June 1-20. You can learn more about the program here. If you are interested in applying to Vanderbilt Accelerator in the future, applicants must be current undergraduate students who have completed at least one year of college or recent graduates within two years of earning their degree.
