SUNY Brockport students earn credits while supporting a good cause
Student-led fundraiser helps students gain project management experience, supporting mental health in our community along the way
Mustafa Canbolat, Associate Professor of Operations Management and Business Analytics is pushing students out of the classroom and into the community within his Project Management course.
Canbolat’s creative approach to teaching students Project Management includes a semester long event-planning assignment. Students gain valuable experience in the field of project management that requires them to collectively coordinate a real-life event instead of reading a textbook or sitting through a lecture.
“It’s such a unique experience in the business program,” said Isabella Palermo, a student who serves on the project’s Logistics Operations Team. “In other classes you might have a group project with a few other students, but with this class, you know everybody.”
This semester, students coordinated “A Night of FUNdraising” event, which took place November 30. It served as a platform to raise awareness for mental health and wellness, while also encouraging students to engage with one another on-campus. Proceeds from the event went to support Compeer Rochester, a non-profit health care organization.
The night included trivia, a silent auction, a raffle, and free food.
“We wanted to include fun stuff,” said Lisa Graziola, an international student who serves on the Events Planning/Operations Team.
In the beginning of the semester, students set a goal to raise $500 to use toward the cause through ticket sales, community sponsors, and donations. The class surpassed their targeted goal, raising $920.
Canbolat said students’ families even got involved – making raffle baskets and donating them to use during the event.
“I’ve never done something like this in a class. It engages all participants of the class and engages with members of the community,” said Palermo. “The students are really the ones putting this together. The students really have full creative control over the entire thing.”
Event sponsors were Mark’s Pizzeria, Monster Energy Company, and Wegmans Food Markets.
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