February 28, 2006
By David Freitag, Business Administration Minor
The Student Leadership Development and Service Learning office at Minnesota State Mankato, recently integrated a well established volunteer program called Campus Kitchens. Campus Kitchens has networked all the way across the United States and is operated by college students at eight reputable universities!
Dr. Brenda Flannery of Minnesota State University, Mankato has implemented the program into her two Principles of Management classes. Her main initiative is to provide the students with a real-life managerial experience and to offer an opportunity to utilize and develop their ongoing leadership potential. The mission of the Campus Kitchens Project is to sustain a successful volunteer business while providing 200 to 400 hot meals on a weekly basis for Mankato families who live in poverty.
I spoke with two ambitious classmates, Jessica Albright and Melissa Radabaugh, who are geared toward helping the Campus Kitchens Project be a success. Along with their fund raising group, the girls raised over $1,000 to fund the volunteer organization. During the conversation, the girls stressed how they loved getting some “hands on” management experience. They talked about the intrinsic value of getting the chance to be a part of a non-profit organization that is fighting hunger not only in Mankato, but in various universities across the nation. These inspirational and young leaders enjoyed their experiences so much that they are interning with The Campus Kitchens Project.
GET INVOLVED! How can you do this? You can stop in at the Student Leadership Development and Service Learning office at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The college students are The Campus Kitchens Project. Help The Campus Kitchens Project combat hunger!
To help volunteer, contact Kelly Meier at: kelly.meier@mnsu.edu
