St. Bonaventure MBA students board a play school bus at Ronald McDonald
House of Buffalo during a fact-finding visit as part of a class project.
In front (from left) are Brittany Smith, Amie Marasco, Dawn Wichlacz,
Stephanie Dezio, Dr. Michael Russell and Colin Walker. In back are Cara
Carlevatti (left) and Steve Kay.
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ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2013 — Students in the MBA program at St. Bonaventure University went to work for a big-time client, the Ronald McDonald House of Buffalo, as part of a class project in marketing management.
Working together in teams, the 15 students were instructed to come up with a series of marketing and development recommendations and present their suggestions to members of the Ronald McDonald House executive team at the end of the course.
“This was an excellent opportunity for our students to apply the concepts they learn in class,” said Dr. Michael Russell, professor of marketing at St. Bonaventure. “In addition, by helping a client such as Ronald McDonald House, the students are demonstrating citizenship and community involvement that is a central tenet of our School of Business mission.”
Ronald McDonald House of Buffalo provides a home-away-from-home for families of ill or injured children receiving treatment at Buffalo-area hospitals. Families from all over the world that travel to Buffalo can stay at the house.
Students in the class, taught at St. Bonaventure’s Buffalo Center on the Hilbert College campus in Hamburg, began their assignment by visiting Ronald McDonald House. They toured the facility, then met with Sally Vincent, executive director, and Kristen L. Segebarth, development associate, to learn about current marketing and development initiatives and to ask questions.
The students will give their recommendations in a presentation at St. Bonaventure’s Buffalo Center on Saturday, Feb. 9. Vincent and Segebarth will be in attendance, as will Kevin Brayer, executive director of the Buffalo Center and marketing chair for Ronald McDonald House. Brayer, a Ronald McDonald House board member since 2006, helped secure the client for this class project.
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About the University: Inspired for more than 150 years by the Catholic Franciscan values of individual dignity, community inclusiveness, and service, St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them.