SBA students look to boost spirit, inspire giving

By Claudette Zolkowski, contributing writer

Creating school spirit and fostering a collegiate environment is clearly important to Oakland University School of Business Administration students. That interest, combined with a desire to make a lasting difference, is driving two students to launch Student Business Week starting March 23. It represents the SBA’s – and the university’s – first student giving campaign.

Finance major Chris Valmassoi, chair of the SBA Dean's Scholars Board, and economics major Elena Popova, who serves as co-chair, presented the idea to the SBA and volunteered to lead the effort to celebrate the school's 40th anniversary. The student giving campaign also honors SBA alum Craig Stinson and longtime SBA supporter Hugh Elliott, who created the $500,000 Elliott-Stinson Match Challenge for gifts made to the SBA through October 31, 2009.

“Whether it is $5 or $50, a gift to the SBA will help us make the most of the Elliott-Stinson Challenge. Every dollar we give, Mr. Stinson and Mr. Elliott will match,” Popova said.

For the inaugural campaign, the students are hoping most donations will be directed to the SBA’s new Student Leadership and Development Center renovation, which directly supports SBA students by providing them one location in the school to assist them with various needs from advising to career services.

“Whether students want to designate the gift to a specific department or direct it for the renovation, we hope they will participate so we can make the most of the challenge gift,” Valmassoi said.

SBA Spirit Week will feature activities and events held each day to highlight the fun, spirit and strength of the SBA for students. They include:

• Student Organization Day, Monday, March 23, noon to 1 p.m. – Student organization representatives will talk about the different SBA student organizations.
• Dress For Success, Tuesday, March 24, noon to 1 p.m. – Career Services will present tips on this topic. Students are encouraged to wear their “power” outfits that day.
• Charity Day, Wednesday, March 25 – SBA students will support Rochester Area Neighborhood House charity through clothing and office supply donations.
• Giving Day, Thursday, March 26 – A box with contribution envelopes will be available in the undergraduate advising area for students who make a gift.
• SBA Student Bowling Night, Friday, March 27 – SBA students will gather at Classic Lanes for fun.

Popova and Valmassoi hope this will be the first of an annual business giving week.

“We want to create a permanent, lasting way for SBA students to give back to the SBA while creating fun activities that help turn the SBA into a warmer, friendlier, more collegiate place,” Valmassoi said.