PC Students: Innovators in Fundraising

by The Cowl Editor on September 21, 2017


Opinion


Bradley Cafe in Providence, Rhode Island.
Bradley Cafe in Providence, Rhode Island. Photo courtesy of yelp.com.

by Kelsey Dass ’18

Opinion Staff

Just as the population of students at Providence College represents a variety of interests—from musicians and athletes, to scientists and philosophers, to party-goers and homebodies—problem solving also can come in many different forms.

The variety of students’ passions and interests at PC allows for the opportunity to innovate and to take an unconventional approach to addressing many issues.

On Sept. 3, several seniors taking the course Management 401P Organizational Theory set out on a mission. In light of the recent hurricanes, these students decided to organize a relief effort for the victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Katie Rose Marvin ’18, a management major, deemed their project a huge success. She said, “It was a great event, and definitely ended up being more of a success than we thought. The initial goal was to raise $2,000 in one week. As a class we didn’t think it was possible, but the senior class proved us wrong. We ended up raising over $1,000 in one night. It was amazing to see our class come together to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Bradley Cafe was so supportive and wanted to help in any way. We were so appreciative of their support.”

This event was far from cookie cutter, and completely nontraditional with regards to Providence College events. With that I question how this Catholic-run institution, which does not support the student body party culture, feels about their student body helping people in need by using party methods?

Do nontraditional tactics not deserve equal recognition, simply because they do not follow the rules of whatever society you belong to?

Some may examine this fundraiser and place the creators in a single box. They chose to raise money at a bar so they must be “party goers.”

Providence College students are required to take the Development Western Civilization for two years so that they develop the ability to examine concepts, from a variety of different perspectives. These courses push us to move away from developing an opinion based on one angle. We must consider theology, literature, philosophy, and history prior to making a final conclusion.

This should be easily applied to our daily lives at this point. Those students were intelligent, creative, thoughtful, effective, innovative, and much more in how they chose to go about this event.

However, where is the school-wide email? Where is the well- deserved recognition?

The College should be applauding them for implementing the civic engagement they have been taught in a way that truly worked.

The students enriched the lives of so many victims with the money they raised. May we all value the effectiveness of their nontraditional platform, and deem it a true success.