Bard College Berlin students work with local businesses to gain leadership and consulting experience through ‘Rem at BCB’

Diana Kimak ‘26 and Vishal Parkash ‘27 established the student organization ‘Rem at BCB’ last semester as part of the Rem on Campus program, which offers undergraduate students training and professional development in the consulting field by collaborating with local businesses.

As co-leader of Rem at BCB, Diana explains that her personal interest lies in “the opportunity to help students explore the world of consulting, a field that was not yet available at BCB.” She continues, “Vishal and I saw this gap and wanted to create an initiative that would allow students like ourselves to gain hands-on experience in consulting. I also recognize that many students my age are still uncertain about their career paths, and our goal with Rem is to provide them with the chance to explore consulting as a potential career option.”

Including Diana and Vishal, the eleven students involved in Rem take on the roles of Junior Strategist, Strategist, and Team Lead. Diana explains that students work independently on tasks like market research and data analysis, and discuss their findings together at weekly team meetings. Then they prepare final deliverables for clients.

This past semester, students worked with two clients—a cleaning company and a dance studio. For their dance studio client, the Rem at BCB team created and conducted a customer survey about potential price increases and class language changes, as well as conducting a competitor analysis and identifying key business strategies. For the cleaning company, they developed a partnership expansion strategy aimed at acquiring new clients and securing a larger market share.

In addition to providing value for local businesses, Rem at BCB is an introduction to a potential career in consulting. Students who were unfamiliar with consulting-related terms like ‘strategy frameworks’ and ‘client deliverables’ before joining the club developed business skills such as conducting market research and interpreting data throughout the semester. Diana shares, “Personally, I have learned to delegate work this semester. As someone who tends to be a control freak, it was challenging for me to let others take charge of certain tasks, but this experience has helped me develop this crucial skill.”

“Being part of something bigger, like helping small businesses in Berlin grow, gives me a deep sense of fulfillment,” she concludes. “Last but not least, I truly enjoy working with my team—every meeting brings us closer, not just as colleagues but also as friends, which makes the whole journey even more meaningful.”

Applications to join Rem at BCB in the spring are open here, and students are also welcome to email Diana or Vishal with questions. Learn more about Rem, as well as other student clubs and organizations, at the spring involvement fair on Tuesday, February 4.

By: Sophia Paudel, Bard College Berlin Communications

Post Date: 01-09-2025