query: service learning for businesses

[colist at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  thanks to Garry, Linda, and Sarena for replying to Ann's query.]

From: Garry Hesser <hesser at augsburg.edu>

Check the website for Bentley College in MA and syllabi for Business, 
Accounting on the Campus Compact website [www.compact.org].  At 
Augsburg, our classes in Marketing, Accounting, and MIS routinely 
provide such assistance for non-profits, CDC's as well as for-profits 
and Bentley [which is a business college] has been engaged in this sort 
of thing for over a decade.

Best wishes,

Garry

*************************

From: Linda Nessel <lnessel at earthlink.net>

Hi Ann and others on the list with interests in forging links between 
private and non-profit sectors that can strengthen economic growth:

Your query seems timely since many projections of economic growth 
center on nurturing and strengthening small businesses.  I have been 
exploring ways that those in the private sector can become involved in 
public service activities without giving up their "day job" including 
strategies that enable business and social work students to engage in 
some mutual learning. Currently, I teach Community Organizing to 
Graduate Students in Social Service and think there are some 
promising avenues for mutual learning that could expand economic 
development opportunities for those at the lower rungs of the 
employment ladder.  

I have come across a few resources that might be helpful.  MBAs4NYC 
is a not-for-profit consulting organization that provides pro bono 
advisory services to qualified small businesses in Lower Manhattan 
adversely affected by the events of 9/11 www.mbas4nyc.org.  Although 
specifically responding to the events of 9/11, there are broader 
implications of volunteers from the business sector helping small 
businesses with tangible plans (marketing etc.) that help them survive 
and continue to employ workers. Their web page and links will also take 
you to business schools that have non-profit concentrations and 
placements.  Another group that has a track record in this area and 
might provide some mentoring for business students is National 
Executive Service Corps, that taps retired executives (and those 
displaced after the collapse of the dot.com economy  and places them 
with non profits) http://www.nesc.org/  

I believe  (or hope) there is an untapped but growing interest in the 
private sector in meaningful ways to strengthen the grass roots 
sector.(and give employees meaningful projects and experience)  I 
would welcome the list's experience and/or input about either:  

1) Joint MBA/MSW courses that emphasizes mutual learning and/or

2) Distance-learning courses that matches business students (or those 
with business experience) with fledgling non-profits (e.g, small crafts 
cooperatives) helping them design and implement business and 
marketing plans.  

linda

************************

From: Sarena Seifer <sarena at u.washington.edu>

Dear Ann,

In our work for the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, we have 
collected information on service-learning in business schools/degree 
programs.  There are many models that involve for-profit businesses as 
service-learning partners.  The websites below provide links to a fact 
sheet on SL in different academic disciplines (including business) and 
to some specific business school programs.  Also, HUD's Office of 
University Partnerships website has brief descriptions of their 
Community Outreach Partnership Center grantees, some involving 
business students as service-learners with for-profit businesses.  You 
might contact OUP director Armand Carriere at 
Armand_W._Carriere at hud.gov for specific information and to post 
your question below on the COPC grantee listserv.  

Fact sheet:
http://www.servicelearning.org/article/archive/92/

University of Washington's business and economic development 
program:
http://depts.washington.edu/busdev/

West Virginia University:
http://www.nis.wvu.edu/2003_Releases/regional_economic_dev_partne
rship.htm
HUD's OUP website: www.oup.org

Good luck!

Sarena D. Seifer
Executive Director, Community-Campus Partnerships for Health,
www.ccph.info
Senior Program Advisor for Higher Education, National Service-
Learning
Clearinghouse, www.servicelearning.org

************************************************************************
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health is a nonprofit organization
that promotes health through partnerships between communities and
higher educational institutions.  Check out our website at www.ccph.info

CCPH is the Higher Education Senior Program Advisor for the Learn 
and
Serve America National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.  Visit the
Clearinghouse at www.servicelearning.org
************************************************************************


> 
> From: "Ann Roberts" <aroberts at bus.ucf.edu>
> 
> I am looking for information to support the idea that service
> learning for business students can be with for-profit
> organizations.  An example might be with Small Business
> Development Centers or start-up businesses. The business students
> would promote economic development/growth through their work with
> small/ start-up businesses.  Any ideas where I can find this type
> of information?  
> 
> Thanks for your help.
> 
> Ann Roberts
> MBA Internship Coordinator
> Business Graduate Programs
> College of Business Administration
> PO Box 161400
> Orlando, FL 32816-1400
> Voice : 407-823-1118 Fax : 407-823-0495
> aroberts at bus.ucf.edu
> www.bus.ucf.edu/internships
> 
> University of Central Florida
> "From Promise to Prominence: Celebrating 40 Years"
> 
> 
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