Some College of Charleston business students are helping Water Missions International marks its 10-year anniversary by planning a formal gala for the non-profit organization.
College of Charleston Hospitality & Tourism Management instructor Andrea Canberg, Ph.D, has structured her event management class for students to plan and implement all aspects of the elaborate event.
The goal of Water Missions is to raise funds to help bring clean water to a village in Kenya by purchasing and installing Water Missions International’s filtration system.
Later this spring, Canberg and five students will travel to Kenya to help educate local villagers and assist in the installation of the water treatment system.
“Business students who take advantage of experiential learning with global and sustainability implications will hone their professional skills and be better prepared for career opportunities,” says Alan T. Shao, Dean of the School of Business. “Canberg’s class is ideally suited for applied learning in and out of the classroom. Those students who are able to go to Kenya will have the ultimate experience of seeing the end results of their hard work.”
As for Laura Hitchman, a senior double majoring in hospitality & tourism management and business administration, Canberg’s event management course and trip to Kenya is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a soon-to-be business graduate.
“The chance to plan a first-class event from inception to completion with specific fundraising goals in mind is so valuable to our professional development,” says Hitchman. “This hospitality management course, however, goes one step further. It offers students a way to apply our business knowledge and skills in an unconventional, third-world setting while giving a community in Kenya the gift of hope and clean water.”
