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Campus calendars provide ‘on-the-job’ experience |
| By
Kim Harvey |
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Oct 2, 2008
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Students from the College of Business Administration are gaining real-world entrepreneurial experience from the sale of a specially designed campus calendar.
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| Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) members and UT leadership posed for a photo to show off the $5 calendars/planners. They are, from left standing, Salvatore Masciarelli, Dr. Sonny Ariss, Jason Mason and Dan Stedman, and, seated, President Lloyd Jacobs. |
Based on the 2008-09 academic year, the calendar lists events pertinent to the UT community. In addition, color photos of UT’s Health Science and Main campuses are displayed each month.
The calendars were produced by the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) organization, which is comprised of about 25 pupils within the College of Business Administration. UT’s External Affairs Division assisted with photography and design.
“This was a great opportunity for the University to assist our students with a real-world business experience,” Lawrence J. Burns, vice president for external affairs, said. “At the same time, the photography highlights the beauty and activity on our campuses.”
According to Dr. Sonny Ariss, professor and interim chair of management in the College of Business Administration, a calendar seemed like a natural bridge between campus and home.
“Parents want to know what’s going on at UT and with their kids,” Ariss said. “Using a calendar/planner is a good way to create a feeling of community among the campus, while allowing parents to keep informed of important dates and events.”
SIFE, he said, supports incubator-type projects that introduce students to the business world. Proceeds from the sale will be used to pay production costs and fund the organization.
Dan Stedman, SIFE president, said SIFE spent about $5,000 to finance the project. Each calendar sells for $5. The goal, he added, is to make $1 to $2 in profit from each sale.
Approximately 2,500 calendars were produced; about 1,800 have been sold.
“I thought a calendar project was a great idea,” Stedman said. “It gave me firsthand experience in managing a project from beginning to end, working with the designers and now to selling and distribution.”
With the success of this year’s project, Ariss believes a 2009-10 calendar is a definite possibility.
“We’d like this to become something students and parents look forward to buying each August,” he said.
Calendars can be obtained by e-mailing Daniel.Stedman@utoledo.edu. SIFE also sells them at home football games and in the on- and off-campus bookstores.
Students interested in joining SIFE or working on projects such as the calendar may contact Stedman at his e-mail address.
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