Business project gives venue for nonprofits

In an effort to spread hope around the world, Dr. Nanette Philibert’s Organizational Behavior course has organized a free Mission Market from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  during the double-header basketball game Saturday at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.  

At least 15 nonprofit organizations, both local and international, will be at the venue. Each vendor will have information about their organization and many will have items that can be purchased to help support the organization. The Accounting Club is asking for donations for their Toy Box Campaign at the event.  There will also be several raffle drawings from donations from local businesses.

 “There is going to be products for sale that are made by different organizations and community interest information,” said Philibert. “It’s kind of a holistic deal. You don’t have to buy anything you can just come and get great information from organizations in our community.”

The event is also ideal for those who would like to purchase a unique gift for loved ones for Christmas.

 “It’s going to be different than what you get at the big box retailers,” said Sheena Phillips, senior management major. “This is a scarf, but it’s a handmade scarf from somebody in Guatemala and with these funds she’s going to take care of her family and put her family through school and feed them.”

Philibert requires each semester’s students in the Organizational Behavior course to use the textbook skills they have been learning to complete a service learning project. Philibert said this project was bigger than previous semester’s projects.

“If we put an event on like this at a basketball game, it is a good opportunity for students to get out and see what opportunities there are to help their community and then the world at large,” said Randon Coffey, junior Management major.

The athletic department’s willingness to help aided the project, according to Coffey. Kevin Greim, assistant athletics director for external operations, said the athletic department was “happy” to help.

 “This kind of gives them [the fans] something different to do though out the course of five hours of basketball,” said Greim. “If they want to go down and take a walk through the mission market to see what all these organizations are about, they can do that.”

The Mission Market is a way to help students explore the opportunities that are available to help the local and international community.

“It’s events like this that are so worthwhile that I think people need to come and experience it,” said Coffey. “It’s a step outside to see what’s really going on. “