Management Students Use their Business Acumen to Give Back During MLK Day of Service

The success of this year's College of Business Day of Service went beyond gathering food and non-food donation items. From the Management Department, Dr. Bob Kolodinsky, along with eight student members of the Financial Management Association and twelve students in Interpersonal Skills (COB 202) classes, chose the Mercy House Thrift Store as a recipient of their volunteer efforts. The mission of Mercy House is to provide food, clothes, and shelter to homeless families with dependent children in the Harrisonburg. The group members donated two to three hours of time sorting and categorizing books in the store's extensive inventory. Dr. Kolodinsky pointed out that "every book sold contributes to improving the quality of life for the homeless families the shelter serves." The effort is part of an ongoing relationship between Dr. Kolodinsky, his students, and Mercy House, where they aim to apply their class-learned concepts to the real world. "Lecturing only takes learning so far," Dr. Kolodinsky believes, adding "I really hope to connect students in an experiential way with the concepts."