Students Invited to Participate in Nonprofit Business Competition ...

Angie Sykeny ?14

One business class?s assignment has turned into something bigger for the Gordon community.
Andy Moore, associate professor of Economics and Business, teaches Introduction to Nonprofits, part of Gordon?s Nonprofit minor. For years, students in the class have been required to develop a business plan for a nonprofit or social entrepreneurship organization as their final in place of an exam.
Moore, alongside other faculty and staff with an interest in business and nonprofit, began talking about developing this class assignment into a Gordon-wide contest, open to all students, regardless of their major.
?Many of our students actually want to start a business,? Moore said. ?We have a lot of creative people at Gordon who are interested in both their major and how they can help the community.?
Student ideas for an organization include tutoring children, collecting artifacts, creating fair trade connections, clean water drilling in Third World countries and feeding the homeless.
The basic model for this project requires a 15-20 page paper, outlining ideas such as the business?s name, logo, purpose and mission statement, leadership roles, equipment, location, funding, budgeting and marketing. Three judges from outside of the Business department will view the projects on Wednesday, April 17, in the Tavilla Conference Room. Anyone is welcome to stop by between 1 P.M. and 6 P.M. to view the projects as well.
The winner of the contest will receive a small cash prize and the winner?s major department will receive a donation matching that prize.
While there has been some discussion of expanding this contest beyond Gordon, it is only open to current Gordon students this year.
Moore is hopeful that many students will apply, but there is some concern that the contest is not getting enough publicity or student interest.
?To be honest, I?m a little nervous,? he said. ?Will I get one entry, will I get 20 entries? I have no idea.?
The students in his Introduction to Nonprofit class are not required to enter their projects to the contest. In fact, the deadline for the contest is several weeks prior to the deadline for the class, so students would need to finish it early.
However, Moore is encouraged by the enthusiasm his students have shown for their business ideas.
?I can?t teach passion?you have it or you don?t,? Moore said. ?But these students have passion. They have a heart to help people.?
Students who have questions or are interested in participating in the contest can contact Andy Moore at andy.moore@gordon.edu.

Photo by Ari Gronberg '13

Short URL: http://tartan.gordon.edu/?p=3500

Source: http://tartan.gordon.edu/2013/03/08/students-invited-to-participate-in-nonprofit-business-competition/

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