The University of Baltimore Applied Consulting Lab is an on-campus consulting center offering science-backed services in support of workforce development and organization development for businesses in Baltimore City.
At the University of Baltimore, applied learning isn't just a philosophy—it's how we prepare students for real-world impact. The Consulting Lab takes that commitment further. The Lab partners with real companies to solve people-related business challenges. Graduate students in UBalt's psychology programs serve in the lab as consultants, applying their skills and expertise to transform themselves and Baltimore. Under faculty and administrative oversight, our students don't just learn consulting—they become consultants, gaining hands-on experience while serving Baltimore's business community with science-backed solutions.
In partnership with UBalt's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Consulting Lab makes professional consulting accessible to entrepreneurs and
small businesses who need it most. Specialized services include talent assessment,
training design and appraisal, and HR foundations—expertise typically out of reach
for growing companies.
Lisa Phillips-Pierce, founder
The Consulting lab has entered into a pilot partnership with Lisa Phillips-Pierce,
founder and CEO of Celebrate Us Workforce Training. Serving Baltimore since 2014, Phillips-Pierce has provided job readiness trainings
to hundreds of Baltimore-area residents looking for work and skills. She has established
partnerships with healthcare providers, building trades, transportation, and local
institutions of higher education to create a pathway to work and income for people
who lack the knowledge and background of the expectations inherent to the modern workplace.
The partners she works with look forward to receiving students who have completed
her course because of their stellar track record of on-the-job success.
Celebrate Us Workforce Training completes four cohorts per year of 20 or more students
each. Phillips-Pierce would like to do more, but she is a one-woman operation. The
Consulting Lab will use science-backed techniques to help her assess and select candidates
for her to hire. Additionally, the Lab consultants will conduct validation studies
to support the validity of her training techniques. With a completed validation study,
Phillips-Pierce can advertise that her training is backed by scientific theory that
supports adult learning outcomes. A validation study will also indicate areas where
she can improve her training program.
Joyson BaLisamore, founder
BaLisamore is a young entrepreneur in the University of Baltimore's MBA program. His company, Jay's Watermelonade, provides a healthy alternative to processed drinks with added sugar. Using natural
ingredients derived from fruits, the company offers catering as well as healthy juicing
workshops to people in the community. He's partnered with workforce development program
YouthWorks to hire interns as summer hydration specialists. BaLisamore’s business
is getting bigger, and the seasonal nature of the work requires more support for things
like hiring, onboarding, and standard operating procedures.
BaLisamore’s seasonal business requires regular hiring of interns or other staff as
hydration specialists. Our consulting team will work with him to ensure that the hiring
is fair and backed by science. For growing companies such as Jay's Watermelonade,
our consultants will build his human resources component using our specialized HR Toolkits for small businesses and entrepreneurs.