Making an Impact
Carol Chan '01
Issue date: 4/5/01 Section: Features
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The success of the recent Earthquake Relief Dinner is just one example of the many ways Johnson School Students are making a positive impact on their community and the world around them. Within the school Community Impact coordinates the student volunteer activities and promotes social responsibility and ethics in business learning. This year the club has 187 student members, about 34% of the student body. Events the club held this year include:
The Food Fight, which raised over 8,600 lbs. of food for a local food bank last year, a 75% increase over the 4,900 lbs. raised in 1999 and the 3,800 lbs. of food in 1998.
The Toy Drive, in December, which sponsored gifts for 238 needy children, a 90% increase over the 125 children sponsored last year and the 90 and 50 children in 1998 and 1997, respectively.
The Blood Drive, in February, which collected enough blood to save the equivalent of 168 lives, a 25% increase over the Blood Drive in November 2000.
Currently Community Impact is working on:
a) Sponsoring a spring clean-up in Ithaca
b) Planning a community service project for in-coming students during Orientation next August
c) Co-sponsoring with the Leading Edge club a panel discussion on Philanthropy / Non-Profit Board management on April 13th
d) Continuing work with the faculty and administration to incorporate ethical and social responsibility themes into the curriculum and the LSP Program.
In addition to Community Impact, there are a number of individual students and student groups that give back to the community. Some students volunteer their time to local animal shelters, advise the board of local charities or donate funds to benefit local charities. For example, the proceeds from the recent Puck Bunnies Games benefited a local women’s shelter.
Upcoming events from Community Impact include a charity auction in April to benefit the Community Foundation of Tompkins County; your support would be much appreciated. A variety of fund-raising events to benefit the Special Olympics are also in the works.
To summarize, business school is an opportunity to expand our skill sets, to become better bankers, consultants, marketers, managers and above all else better individuals. By the time we leave Ithaca, we should have expanded our skill sets to not only positively impact the companies we work for (or the companies we create), but also the communities and the world in which we live. This is a responsibility we owe to ourselves and to those around us.
The Food Fight, which raised over 8,600 lbs. of food for a local food bank last year, a 75% increase over the 4,900 lbs. raised in 1999 and the 3,800 lbs. of food in 1998.
The Toy Drive, in December, which sponsored gifts for 238 needy children, a 90% increase over the 125 children sponsored last year and the 90 and 50 children in 1998 and 1997, respectively.
The Blood Drive, in February, which collected enough blood to save the equivalent of 168 lives, a 25% increase over the Blood Drive in November 2000.
Currently Community Impact is working on:
a) Sponsoring a spring clean-up in Ithaca
b) Planning a community service project for in-coming students during Orientation next August
c) Co-sponsoring with the Leading Edge club a panel discussion on Philanthropy / Non-Profit Board management on April 13th
d) Continuing work with the faculty and administration to incorporate ethical and social responsibility themes into the curriculum and the LSP Program.
In addition to Community Impact, there are a number of individual students and student groups that give back to the community. Some students volunteer their time to local animal shelters, advise the board of local charities or donate funds to benefit local charities. For example, the proceeds from the recent Puck Bunnies Games benefited a local women’s shelter.
Upcoming events from Community Impact include a charity auction in April to benefit the Community Foundation of Tompkins County; your support would be much appreciated. A variety of fund-raising events to benefit the Special Olympics are also in the works.
To summarize, business school is an opportunity to expand our skill sets, to become better bankers, consultants, marketers, managers and above all else better individuals. By the time we leave Ithaca, we should have expanded our skill sets to not only positively impact the companies we work for (or the companies we create), but also the communities and the world in which we live. This is a responsibility we owe to ourselves and to those around us.