By Linh Le
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to turn classroom insights into real-world impact? At the Comm Lead Consultancy, students are encouraged to bridge that gap by transforming theories, frameworks, and strategies learned in class into tangible results for clients.
In the fields of communication and marketing, learning doesn’t end in the lecture hall. It’s not only about what you study, but how you apply it: adapting concepts, experimenting with tools, and solving real challenges for real organizations. The Communication Leadership program equips students with powerful knowledge, while the Consultancy provides the space to put that knowledge into practice.
Through this article, we hope to offer a closer look at how our volunteers collaborate with clients across diverse projects, from applying what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world challenges. Their stories reveal how hands-on client work not only deepens academic understanding but also strengthens professional confidence and capability.
Doris Zhang: Marketing & Communications Consultant
Client: Brain and Body Recess
With an endless passion for marketing and communications, Doris Zhang (Cohort 24) brought her skills and academic learning to a project with Brain and Body Recess, a Seattle-based yoga and wellness studio led by a Black female founder with over twenty years of bodywork experience.
“My scope included audience and market research, brand positioning, and social media marketing to build awareness and drive engagement,” Doris shared. “I conducted user interviews and drafted, filmed, and edited multimedia assets for web and social. I also created direct B2C outreach through email newsletters using the Mindbody app.”
Before joining Comm Lead, Doris had more than three years of experience in the communications and creative field. After a full quarter immersed in coursework, she began volunteering with Brain and Body Recess in her second quarter. Her main challenge was audience targeting — reaching Black women ages 35 to 55 in Seattle, a specific group that often faces budget and access barriers to wellness services. Her goal was to identify priority segments, raise awareness of the benefits, and make offerings feel welcoming and attainable.
When asked how Comm Lead prepared her for client work, Doris highlighted one of her favorite classes, Principles of Marketing, taught by Professor Stewart Meyer. The course equipped her with fundamentals like audience analysis, market research, and brand positioning — tools she used to assess Brain and Body Recess’s needs and pain points.
Doris also reflected on the differences between classroom projects and real client engagements. While class exercises often focus on a single, defined problem, client work is more complex and interconnected, spanning leadership, operations, staffing, and resourcing. She learned that practical recommendations must address the broader system and empower teams with tools they can sustain in the long term.
Supported by Jacqueline, the Consultancy’s Community Manager, Doris built a strong working relationship with the studio’s founder — setting a collaborative tone for the entire engagement.
“This project taught me that effective communication sits at the intersection of audience needs, brand truth, and operational capacity. Translating specialized wellness services into plain, inclusive language matters as much as the visuals. Clear briefs, decision logs, and regular check-ins reduce confusion and help teams move together.”
Doris Zhang – Cohort 24, Marketing & Communnication Consultant for Brain and Body Recess
Sandra Wu: Content Strategist Intern
Client: Yuzi Care
Choosing a Consultancy project as her internship, Sandra Wu (cohort 24) embarked on a meaningful journey with Yuzi Care, a startup dedicated to reimagining postpartum care through education and curated services. Initially planned for one quarter, her collaboration extended by three more months — a testament to her impact and commitment.
With a background in luxury retail management, Sandra was no stranger to client relations and event coordination. Pivoting into the communications field, she leveraged her management experience to thrive as a Content Strategist. “My role involved designing content roadmaps for social media, researching audience insights, creating marketing materials for events, and experimenting with various content pillars — from educational posts about postpartum health to personal storytelling that fostered emotional connection,” Sandra shared. “I also monitored engagement analytics to refine our approach and maximize visibility”.
Throughout her seven months with Yuzi Care, Sandra faced one of her biggest challenges: building brand awareness for a new startup in the postpartum wellness space. Her goal was to craft a content strategy that authentically conveyed Yuzi Care’s mission, voice, and expertise.
To tackle this, she drew upon concepts from the Principles of Marketing course, particularly audience segmentation and channel alignment, to identify Yuzi Care’s core audience and develop content that built trust and credibility. She also credited User Research & UX Strategies with Professor Ben Porter for helping her apply user-centered design principles directly to her client work.
“Concepts such as heuristic evaluation, persona development, and identifying design principles were instrumental in shaping Yuzi Care’s content roadmap and UX feedback for their marketplace platform,” Sandra explained. “It was rewarding to see how classroom theory could translate so immediately into tangible, real-world outcomes.”
Now entering her final quarter in the Comm Lead program, Sandra reflected on how this experience deepened her learning. While classroom assignments taught her collaboration across diverse perspectives, client work introduced a new level of responsibility and creativity. “Unlike academic projects where outcomes can be hypothetical, every decision at Yuzi Care had an immediate impact on engagement and brand growth,” she shared. “I learned that communication in professional settings thrives when everyone feels safe to share ideas, ask questions, and engage authentically.”
Sandra’s advice to fellow students considering a Consultancy project?
“Be proactive and create your own opportunities. The Consultancy gives you a rare chance to apply classroom concepts to real client work — so lean in, take initiative, and treat it like your own creative lab.”
Sandra Wu – Cohort 24, Content Strategist Intern for Yuzi Care
Zingchao (Junior) Zhou: UX & Social Media Consultant
Client: Anarti Therapeutics
As a UX and Social Media Consultant for Anarti Therapeutics, a plant-based wellness brand specializing in CBD essential oils and balms, Junior (cohort 24) partnered closely with the founders to strengthen their digital presence. His work focused on analyzing the website’s user experience, identifying conversion barriers, and offering design recommendations to enhance usability and storytelling. In the second phase, he expanded into social media strategy — creating content ideas, refining captions and visuals, and testing formats to better communicate the brand’s values and attract followers.
The client’s main challenges were low website conversion rates and limited brand visibility. While Anarti had a strong mission and high-quality products, their online platforms didn’t fully express that value. Junior’s goal was to help build a more apparent digital identity and a smoother user journey, while developing a social media presence that felt authentic, consistent, and aligned with their calming, nature-driven brand tone.
Junior credited several Comm Lead courses for preparing him for this work. User Interface Design taught him Figma and fundamental UI/UX principles, while Advanced UX Design strengthened his research and collaboration skills through hands-on team projects. The course Brand Values and Creativity gave him experience working directly with real stakeholders — helping him understand how to translate client needs into creative strategies.
One of his biggest challenges was translating Anarti’s wellness philosophy into a cohesive visual system. Because the brand was still developing its identity, Junior had the opportunity to shape their social media presence from the ground up. He began with competitor analysis, then collaborated with the founders to build a mood board, color palette, and reusable templates that balanced consistency with creative flexibility.
Support from the Consultancy team played a meaningful role in his success. Jacqueline, the Community Manager, guided him through project onboarding, expectation-setting, and managing a client relationship for the first time. When he later felt unsure about his progress, she connected him with other volunteers who had completed similar projects, which helped him regain confidence and continue moving forward.
Looking back, Junior shared that the project reshaped his understanding of professional communication. He learned that communication is not only about presenting work clearly, but also about listening, guiding decisions, and staying transparent. By asking strategic questions, explaining design rationale, and practicing proactive check-ins, he built trust and kept the collaboration aligned.
For students considering the Consultancy, Junior’s advice is simple:
“Trust yourself. What you learn in class truly prepares you — you just need to adapt it to real-world constraints and be open to learning along the way.”
Zingchao (Junior) Zhou – Cohort 24, UX & Social Media Consultant for Anarti Therapeutics
These stories show how Comm Lead students turn classroom learning into real impact by shaping brands, strengthening communities, and growing their professional confidence along the way. The Consultancy remains a space where theory meets practice, and where students learn not just how to do the work, but how to lead it.
Curious about our open positions? Check the Consultancy Job Board right now!
University of Washington