As part of USC Marshall’s Full-Time MBA (FTMBA) Career Launchpad experience, MBA candidates participated in a case competition focused on creating practical solutions and strategies to support Deloitte’s partnership with International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (LA28).

From innovations in AI to digital fan engagement, the aspiring consultants pitched fresh proposals to Deloitte, supporting the company’s ongoing work with the Olympic Fan Data Platform, built to unify fan data, deliver insights, and enhance audience engagement throughout the Games.

The competition capitalized on Marshall’s one-of-a-kind connection with Deloitte and the Olympic Games, much of which will take place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

“USC Marshall enjoys a unique relationship with both Deloitte as well as LA28,” said Ahmed Elshinnawy, lead of the career center’s consulting area and a key contributor to the Career Launchpad MBA course in consulting. “We are a target school for Deloitte for MBA students, in addition to enjoying a very strong Trojan alumni network at Deloitte. And as far as LA28, we all know that USC will be hosting some of the Games.”

After more than 50 first-year candidates developed and submitted case proposals, two were selected to present directly to the Deloitte team: Abhijeet Singh and Prajwal Rajendra Astagi.

On August 28, Singh and Astagi presented to two members of Deloitte’s Olympic team: Michele McGuire, chief commercial officer at Deloitte Digital, and Lisa Eldredge, senior manager at Deloitte Digital.

Singh’s presentation centered on transforming LA28 into a 365-day experience by utilizing generation-specific mascots, interactive applications, and a documentary series that showcases behind-the-scenes coverage while amplifying new Olympic stars.

Astagi’s pitch focused on engaging fans through digital games that incentivize exploration around Los Angeles’s various neighborhoods. The goal, Astagi explained, is to turn fans from passive spectators into active participants in the Olympic story.

McGuire and Eldredge acknowledged Singh and Astagi for their creative, well-researched, and relevant presentations, noting that the ideas resembled several concepts already in development at Deloitte.

“This goes to show that our MBA students are equipped and their recommendations, as they relate to strategy or technology, are relevant and on point to the extent that Deloitte and the International Olympics Committee have already started executing on them,” Elshinnaway observed.

By connecting students with industry leaders, Elshinnawy believes Marshall’s MBA candidates will have a leg up on the competition, owing to their practical experience and vast network. Along with Christian Busch, associate professor of clinical management and organization and creator and lead of the MBA Career Launchpad consulting track, Elshinnawy noted that even those students whose pitches weren’t chosen nevertheless gained valuable experience from the real-world case study, rather than a theoretical one.

“Nothing is as valuable as working on a real problem of such a global scale and having the opportunity to showcase your skillset and talent as an MBA student,” said Elshinnawy. “Think about it big picture: If a consulting firm is hiring from USC, they’re looking for specific skill sets in order to bring them on board and tackle some of those challenges with their clients. There is no better way to demonstrate that than work on real life cases.”

The collaboration with Deloitte kicks off a year of industry collaboration within Marshall’s MBA programs, as the school offers case competitions, panels, and networking events to bridge the gap between academia and the next step in their career paths.