Community / April 2, 2012

Smith School MBAs Participate in Team MBA Month

April is Team MBA month, and that means Smith School MBAs are getting down and dirty to help their community. From charity auctions to community clean up to clothing drives, members of Team MBA at the Robert H. Smith School of Business are participating in several events to better the lives of people living in and around College Park.

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) launched Team MBA in 2005 in an effort to unite business school students worldwide with a common goal of student volunteerism. “It’s our way to show the world that today’s graduate business students are about more than just making money — they are about making a difference,” GMAC explains in its website.

“Team MBA Month is a great way to leverage our talented, creative, hard-working cohort to give back to the community and have fun together,” said Team MBA Month coordinator Megan Burkhart, MBA ’13.

Smith Students wasted no time kicking off Team MBA month with a service event. The first weekend in April they participated in a Habitat for Humanity build in Ivy City, a small neighborhood in Northeast DC. They had about 20 participants and worked on four separate work sites in the neighborhood.

“Thanks to the 20 participants who put in a full day of wielding power tools, painting, installing shelves and framing walls,” Burkhart said. She is encouraging her fellow students to sign up for one of the many events they already have planned for the month or to organize their own.

Team MBA students will be participating in the following service-oriented events as a part of Team MBA Month:

JMBAA Passover Hunger Seder

What: The Jewish MBA Association and Team MBA would like to invite you to attend a special event: the JMBAA Passover Hunger Seder. It is an opportunity to learn more about the heritage of your Jewish classmates and to join with the MBA community in learning what steps you can take to end hunger in America.
When: Wednesday, April 11, 5:15 - 6:30 p.m.
Where: Van Munching Hall, Room 2517
RSVP: In our MBA Seder, we will share Jewish traditions, and we will discuss the modern injustice of hunger in a nation of plenty. So that we know how much food and drink to purchase, please let us know if you are interested in attending the Seder by RSVPing to Rebecca Schwartz via e-mail: schwartz.rebeccaallison@gmail.com.

Charity Auction: Dinner with Faculty

What: Do you love your professors? Come and make bid for a dinner with your favorite professor! Open to teams of five students, bidding starts at $10 each (i.e. $50/team). Choose your professor and participate in the bidding for dinner with your team! The following professors will be featured on the auction block: Godes, Lele, Faulkander, and Russell. There is no upper limit for the bidding! This event is BYOB, and all funds raised from the auction will be donated to a local charity on behalf of Smith for Team MBA Month.
When: Thursday, April 12, 5 – 8 p.m.
Where: Van Munching Hall, Room 2517
Who: Open to all students (teams of five)
More Info: Send in your team names, member details and choice of professor toshantanu.chandra@rhsmith.umd.edu
Contact: Shantanu Chandra, shantanu.chandra@rhsmith.umd.edu or (301) 263-4636.

Volunteer at Food & Friends with Smith LGBTA Pride Alliance

What: Food & Friends fosters a community caring for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling. SPA volunteers will spend a morning helping to prepare the food.
When: Friday, April 20, 9 a.m. - noon
Where: Food & Friends (219 Riggs Road, NE)
Who: Smith MBA cohort and friends
Capacity: 15 volunteers (if exceeded we can also do deliveries)
Contact: Damien Power, damien.power@rhsmith.umd.edu

SAWMBA's Annual Suit Drive

What: SAWMBA's Annual Suit Drive – You can help less-fortunate women who are entering or returning to the work force by donating gently-used business professional or business casual clothing and accessories during SAWMBA's annual suit drive! We are collecting spring and summer women's professional clothing and accessories for the non-profit organization Dress for Success - Washington, D.C.
When: Week of April 16
Where: Drop-boxes in VMH
Website: www.dressforsuccess.org
Contact: Sue Compagna, susan.compagna@rhsmith.umd.edu or Makiko Hotoda,makiko.hotoda@rhsmith.umd.edu

HandsOn Greater DC Cares Annual Servathon Event

What: In the spirit of Team MBA month, we are organizing a Smith School Team for Servathon! This year the HandsOn DC Cares organization is aiming to send nearly 10,000 volunteers to various regional non-profits and schools to paint, clean and revitalize.
When: Saturday April 21, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: A project site (school/church etc.) in the Washington, D.C. area (to be assigned in the coming weeks)
RSVP: More details about the event as well as a link to register can be found at theServathon website
More Info: When clicking on the above link, navigate to “Register,” select “Join a Team,” and then choose “TEAM MBA - RHS” from the drop-down list of existing teams. While MBAA will subsidize part of the $25 registration fee (depending on how many people sign up) please note that you will get to keep your event T-shirt and attend an event-wide after-party.

Volunteering at DASH

What: Gardening and outdoor work at DASH, a safe housing program for women and their children in Washington, D.C.
When: Friday April 27, 2 – 4:30 p.m.
Where: Northeast D.C. (more specific directions will be sent to confirmed volunteers)
Attire: Clothes to get dirty in, and closed-toed shoes
Website: www.dashdc.org
Contact: Mollie Moday, molliemoday@gmail.com

For general questions regarding Team MBA Month, contact Megan Burkhart.

About the Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, MS in business, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

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About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

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