Vol. 18, No. 14Dec. 10, 1998

Business students get into the spirit of giving

Ben Heiber (left), chair of MBA Voice, with Ed Stewart and Julie Alvarez, MBA students and
MBA Voice members, display toys and canned goods that business students have collected for needy families.

When members of the MBA Voice, a graduate student organization representing University of Delaware MBA students, decided to throw a holiday party, Scott Jones, associate dean of the MBA program, turned it into an assignment.

Students planning the celebration were charged with incorporating some aspect of corporate social responsibility-a growing national concern-into the event.

It was something members of the group had been thinking about, too, Ben Hieber, president of the MBA Voice, said.

As a result, admission to the party-held on Friday, Dec. 4, for MBA students, faculty and alumni- was an unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots and a canned food item to be donated to the Delaware Food Bank.

"We feel that oftentimes the business world is given a negative connotation as being concerned only about the 'bottom line' and maximizing profit for its shareholders," Hieber said.

"In fact, many shareholders are not satisfied anymore with these measures of success. Many prospective investors look at a corporation's social responsibility in the community. By incorporating this aspect into our party, we've found a great way to start future employees off in the right direction towards corporate social responsibility."

Toys for Tots and the Delaware Food Bank were designated the beneficiaries of the party because of their holiday timeliness, Hieber said.

"Toys for Tots seemed very logical as many children are not as fortunate as ourselves, and we feel the need for every child to have toys under their tree when they wake up Christmas morning. And, as the Delaware Food Bank gears up for a large drive during the Christmas season, we felt it would be relatively easy for people attending the party to raid their cupboards and donate a few canned goods to the needy," he said.

Hieber said the philosophy will continue this spring when MBA Voice members organize a special event to benefit a new scholarship fund named in honor of Les Chadwick, professor of business and economics, who died last month after battling cancer.

-Beth Thomas
Photo by Jack Buxbaum