Business Department Incorporates ‘Mercy’ into Curriculum

By: Brittany Lyon
Posted In: News

For the past three years members of the Business Department has incorporated service learning into their classes, community, and students. It’s where community service meets your major.

This fall there are several one credit classes that are being offered by Dr. Traci Warrington, Dr. Arlene Nikolas, and Ms. Judith Keenan. The classes are offered to juniors and seniors and this year’s service learning opportunities will be offered for Business Communication, Human Resource Management, Marketing Strategies, and Microsoft Certification.

Dr. Warrington’s Marketing Strategies class will be working with Skate for Joy this fall, which provides ice-skating lessons to underprivileged youth. The non-profit organization is based out of Providence and after receiving ice time from St. George’s School, the concept is now coming to Newport. While working on a limited budget, the Marketing Strategies class will provide a marketing plan and write grants for the organization.

In past years, the Business program has worked with the Martin Luther King Center, the Women’s Resource Center, the Bird Sanctuary, and various other local organizations. Dr. Warrington believes the program gives students the opportunity to work with a real client and allows students to learn the specific needs of that client. Warrington believes this project is a strong resume builder since many students lack work experience in their specific major. Yet, more importantly the project fulfills the mission of the university.

Starting October 8, Professor Keenan’s students will be working one-on-one with people from the Martin Luther King center. For two hours every Wednesday, the students will be teaching computer and word processing skills to their clients. “Most people who come in are single women of varying minority groups,” explains Keenan. They are financially strapped and trying to learn the skills needed to enter the workforce. Since Salve does not offer much diversity, Keenan believes this program is an excellent eye-opener for her students. Along with building character in the students, the clients build self-confidence throughout the program.

The Martin Luther King center has set up lap-tops from grant money in order for their clients to reinforce what they learned during their sessions with students. Books and computer programs were also donated to the center. At the end of the program each client is given a gift certificate to buy a new work outfit. The university then assists them in finding a job.

Keenan finds satisfaction in watching the interactions between students and clients. “The students are providing a life changing experience,” said Keenan. According to Keenan, Salve Regina students are privileged enough to attend a university that incorporates mercy into their daily lives. “Salve teaches students how to become better people,” said Keenan. And that is a worthwhile education in itself.