Michelle Schraudner
Life Editor
Around this time of year, news stories are often full of heartwarming stories about community members helping the less fortunate. However, an Idaho State University business management class quietly works to help others year round.
In Alex Bolinger’s 4000-level Organizational Behavior class, each semester’s class is given a Make-A-Wish patient to raise funds for.
This semester, Bolinger’s class of 20 students raised over $5,000 to send 6-year-old Emory Champion to Disney World. The class last spring raised enough money to send its Make-A-Wish candidate to a Denver Broncos game.
“We’ve got a great community, people with big hearts here,” he said.
On the Thursday of Dead Week, Bolinger’s class had the opportunity to meet Emory and her family. The class gave Emory and her sister presents, and told the family how the fundraising efforts were successful.
“It turned out well,” said Bolinger. “She was really responsive.”
Last semester, the class “met” its Make-A-Wish candidate and his mother via Skype because then-14-year-old Braydon was recovering from a liver transplant in a Salt Lake City hospital.
On Dec. 8, Braydon and his family traveled to Denver to watch the Broncos play the Tennessee Titans. While there, Braydon got to meet Denver quarterback Peyton Manning and the rest of the Broncos team.
Bolinger has been using this project for three semesters now.
“I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “We do little tweaks every semester.”
As he and his classes learn more about what makes the process effective, each consecutive class is able to have increased success fundraising.
Sometimes groups have unconventional ideas for fundraisers that Bolinger said he has reservations about but every one of them has been successful.
During the first semester that Bolinger used this project, the class raised funds for a then- 3-year-old girl named Skyelar, who wanted to meet the Disney Princesses. Because of the class, Skyelar and her family were able to travel to Disney World to make her wish come true.
Bolinger splits the class into groups of four or five students each, then has each group organize a fundraiser. Many of the groups get so excited about the project that they plan extra fundraisers. Some students even go on to volunteer their own time with Make-A-Wish after the class ends.
At the start of each semester, Bolinger has each group write a team contract. They talk about expectations for each person and opportunities for success based on the group members’ individual talents.
In addition to looking great on a resume, Bolinger said the experience is invaluable for students.
“One of the things we talk about is that it’s so intimidating to go ask people for money. But if you go ask on someone else’s behalf, they’re just shocked at how responsive our community is,” he said. “That’s a great lesson. Sometimes just asking and taking that first step is the hardest part.”
Bolinger got the idea from graduate schools on the East Coast that use fundraising as competition among the teams from each class.
“We treat it as more of a cooperative endeavor,” said Bolinger
