Community-based experiential education on the consulting model offers authentic ways to engage students in interdisciplinary inquiry for solving problems and harnessing opportunities in a rapidly changing global economic, political, social, and environmental landscape. While rigorously constructed quantitative studies using specialized algorithms and software may have their place in calculating the impact of student work on community stakeholders, simple but effective qualitative/ quantitative observation can provide some usable cost/ benefit equations for a variety of project models that promote inclusion of beginners in high-impact educational practices or encourage participation at a wide range of institutions. This 90- minute workshop will be facilitated by three advanced practitioners who have all held roles as both university teaching faculty and community partners in an urban landscape where undergraduate students in interdisciplinary teams work alongside senior professionals modeling collaborative problem solving to maximize local opportunities. An overview (20-30 minutes max.) of select projects draws from a 20-year project history in environmental sustainability, food security, funding for arts and culture education/ performance, and local economic development all in a landscape of urban social justice movements. Overview of artifacts includes theoretical frameworks showing college as facilitating mindset shift from consumer to creator/ provider of professional expertise.