Duquesne SBDC Graduate Assistant Team Earns 2026 Student Project of the Year

Celebrating Innovation: Duquesne SBDC Graduate Assistant Team Earns 2026 Student Project of the Year

Congratulations are in order for the Graduate Assistant Team at the Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), who have been recognized with the Student Project of the Year Award at the 2026 PASBDC Growth Summit. This prestigious recognition highlights not only the team’s technical achievement but also their forward-thinking approach to solving real-world challenges in small business support.

A Project Built for Impact

The award-winning project, titled “An AI-Powered Client Intake and Consultant Assignment System for Small Business Development Centers,” addresses a critical and growing need within the SBDC network.

Across the United States, SBDCs serve as vital engines of economic development—supporting entrepreneurs, guiding startups, and strengthening existing small businesses. Each year, these centers assist thousands of clients with essential services such as business planning, financial modeling, market research, and operational strategy.

However, as demand for services continues to grow, SBDCs face increasing operational challenges. Traditional intake and consultant assignment processes—often reliant on manual review, staff familiarity, or immediate availability—are becoming strained.

Recognizing these challenges, the Duquesne SBDC team set out to reimagine how technology could improve efficiency while maintaining the human-centered nature of client services.

Bridging Innovation and Responsibility with AI

The result is a powerful yet practical solution: an AI-supported system designed to enhance—not replace—human decision-making.

Developed between July and December 2025, the project was led by a talented group of graduate students:
Alexis Ropelewski, Alicia Redington, Tyler Padezan, Ty Martin, and Mackenzie Cahill, under the supervision of Rafique Iddrisu as part of the AI U Student Engagement Initiative.

The system serves as a decision-support tool, analyzing client intake data to generate informed recommendations for consultant assignments. Importantly, it does not automate final decisions. Instead, it empowers staff to:

• Accept AI-generated recommendations
• Modify assignments based on nuanced context
• Override suggestions when necessary

This thoughtful design ensures that the system aligns with organizational governance standards and ethical AI principles, preserving accountability and professional expertise.

A Smarter Approach to Service Delivery

By leveraging artificial intelligence, the system introduces a more structured and data-driven approach to matching clients with consultants. It considers key factors such as:

• Industry alignment
• Client needs and service complexity
• Consultant expertise and specialization
• Current workload capacity

This results in more strategic assignments, improved efficiency, and a better overall experience for both clients and staff.

Looking Ahead

This recognition at the PASBDC Growth Summit underscores the importance of innovation in public service organizations. As SBDCs continue to evolve, solutions like this AI-powered system demonstrate how emerging technologies can be thoughtfully integrated to enhance—not disrupt—trusted support systems.

The Duquesne SBDC Graduate Assistant Team has set a strong example of what’s possible when academic talent, organizational leadership, and real-world challenges come together with purpose.

Congratulations Once Again

We extend our congratulations once again to the entire team for this well-deserved recognition. Their work not only reflects academic excellence but also contributes meaningful progress to the future of small business support.

Read the full executive report here

View AI Analyzer screenshots here