8/8/2019 UT BAP Best Practices Abstract '09-'10 Service Learning

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Service Learning: Linking Business Disciplines to Civic Disciplines

Best Practices Abstract

Chapter 255, Lambda Beta

The University of Tampa

Presented by: Roman Cowan, Janell Garguilo, Meridith Klein, Jingming Ma, Maxwell McQuirter, and Jenna Scinta

The Lambda Beta Chapter selected Service Learning: Learning by Using Your Skills to Help a LocalOrganization as one of our best practices topic. We chose this topic because we believe that service learning, as a

complement to our curriculum, is an effective method for us to practice the skills we garner from our education. The

topic also addresses the issue of civic responsibility and commitment to making the community around us better.

Specifically, we hope this opportunity will provide us hands-on experiences that utilize our business disciplines to

foster or deepen a sense of civic responsibility among our members and candidates.

Project identification: After the evaluation of risk, cost, potential social impacts, and other criteria associated with

alternative projects, we selected The Cornerstone Family Ministry, a 117 year old non-profit organization that

primarily focuses on feeding the hungry and nurturing the young.

Goals and Expected Outcomes: The ministry has multiple project needs all aimed at enhancing operational

efficiency and effectiveness. Potential projects include creation of a volunteer database, a cost management system,

and an outcomes assessment system. We envision this as a multi-year project that will serve as a reliable and

sustainable basis for continuous improvements. To accomplish this objective, we will provide the clients workers

and volunteers with a sufficient level of knowledge in accounting, finance and information systems to enable them

to use and maintain the systems we put in place.

Membership Involvement: The service learning team consists of three members and three candidates. After an

assessment of the capabilities of our team members, we conducted several training exercises to enhance our

participants skills before engaging a client. The exercises included personal one-on-one meetings, general lecture

sessions, and a "pilot test" in which the team identified and solved the accounting, finance, and information system

needs for another student organization at The University of Tampa. In addition to these exercises, more than 70% of

our chapter participated in seminars and panel discussions to help our members develop a civic mindset. Our

chapters IT Committee will assist us with the changes to our clients systems. Other members and candidates willassist us as volunteers in our clients programs and by monitoring our progress, reviewing and providing feedback to

our group, and by critiquing our presentations to make them the best they can possibly be. Together, more than110

hours have been contributed directly to designing, planning, and implementing the programs thus far, and we

anticipate the total hours of chapter participation to triple by the end of this phase of the project. Finally, faculty and

other professionals have helped brainstorm, plan, and execute our project.

Project Assessment: We expect the project to benefit all relevant stakeholders, i.e. the client, our chapter, and the

community. First, our chapter will benefit from lessons learned on the project, which we will relay to our fellow

members for their use and knowledge. Through this project, we have made great strides in addressing each of three

categories of the AICPA Core Competencies Framework (functional, personal, and broad business perspective).

Through this project, our members have grown from fairly inhibited book-educated students to more audacious and

well-rounded critical thinkers. Our functional knowledge, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities have

grown exponentially as we have dealt with obstacles along the way. Second, the Cornerstone Family ministry and

community will benefit from more efficient operations that will allow the ministry to make even more lasting

positive differences in the society. Finally, by volunteering high quality professional services to others, we become

better people, gain visibility for our chapter and school, and provide a service to others in the community with a

need.