$10K in Three Weeks 

MBA Weekend students recently concluded their 22-month academic program.

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 5, 2017) – MBA Weekend students recently learned how to make money quickly – for those in need.

The students concluded their 22-month academic program by raising more than $10,000 for local charities in three weeks.

The project was part of a four-week class Entrepreneurship & Creativity taught by Standish Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Bill Wales.

Each team of working professionals created a fund-raising venture to benefit the charity of their choice. They designed, marketed and sold products for their charities, including blankets, bracelets, coffee cups, copper mugs and dog treats.

Wale said the students “admirably rose to the challenge and short timeframe provided to put their tremendous skills to work. They were able to identify and test possible fund-raising ventures that in some instances, their charities may continue to use in the future.”

MBA student KimMarie Percey ’17 chose Things of My Very Own as her team’s charity. The organization provides crisis intervention services for abused and neglected children. Teammate P.J. Uppal ’17, came up with the idea of selling blankets after hearing that Things of My Very Own provides mattresses for abused children, many of whom leave home with only the clothes they are wearing. The team’s venture Blankets of My Very Own had people purchase blankets to be donated to the charity.

As a manager for National Grid, Percey attends a lot of meetings. She said she “hijacked” her meetings to raise funds for Blankets of My Very Own, her reach extending outside of New York into Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Ohio. National Grid stepped in to match donations. A local radio DJ picked up the cause and television news covered the story. The team raised more than $5,000 in three weeks. Sponsors donated 128 blankets for the children served by the program. 

Students in the MBA Weekend program created a fund-raising venture to benefit the charity of their choice.

Raising the remaining $5,000 were several other projects, including:

• HomewardHound, which raised money for Forever Home Dog Rescue of the Capital District by baking and selling dog treats.

• Helping Hands, which raised funds for the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders

• Heart Strings, which sold bracelets made from violin strings to raise money for Chime, the Empire State Youth Orchestra’s afterschool music program for underserved youth. After meeting their $500 goal in two hours, they doubled it.

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