Students are also taking a second look at the possibility of a Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity "re-store", a business that takes recycled material from work sites and resells it at a lower price for profit. The two sections of Professor Dr. Bruce Kibler's "Principles of Management" course are working with the two organizations separately.

From falling apart to falling together

United Way of Superior Director Kathi Madsen said she didn't plan on working with students this semester but an opening developed early in the semester.

Madsen said it was soon determined that Kibler's students could create United Way's business plan and help plan their 75^th anniversary celebration, scheduled for next year.

Learning through doing

In each section of the course, Kibler separated students into a business plan group and a marketing group. As part of the marketing group, student Jenny Boerner says her job is unearthing the history behind the United Way of Superior.

"It's actually a larger task than I thought it was going to be," said Boerner. "I'm not finding many internet sources so I've been manually digging for information and I've spent a lot of time at the Superior Public Library."

Boerner has never done that kind of research before.

"I honestly didn't even know much about the United Way until we started working on this project. It's interesting to see where they started and how far they have come along through the years," said Boerner. "I'm excited to go to the 75^th anniversary celebration and see our finished product."

Boerner is putting together a poster presentation that will include many archived news articles. Her presentation will be displayed at the 75^th anniversary celebration.

Continuing a partnership

In the other project, students in Kibler's same course examined the possibility of creating a "re-store" for Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity last fall. This fall, students are exploring the idea in more detail. Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity Director Daryl Yankee has been meeting with students throughout the semester. Yankee says Habitat for Humanity International recently created a checklist for chapters hoping to open a re-store business.

"This is something we wanted to do for a while so the business students are going through that checklist, creating a business plan, doing marketing surveys and making recommendations for location."

Student Kevin Johnson is creating a website strategy plan and a list of technological expenses for the first three years of the re-store.

"It's really challenging and fun and interesting to actually work with an organization, such as Habitat for Humanity," Johnson said. "It gets you that deep experience that you don't get with a traditional course."

Satisfaction so far

Kibler says students have impressed him this semester.

"The students have been extremely exuberant and excited. They're taking it very seriously. They're meeting at regular intervals. They actually stay after class and are discussing the projects," said Kibler.  "There is a high level of engagement in the projects."

Madsen said the service from the students invaluable.

"Once students are done with the class, that's it; but everything they're doing is going to serve as a guide for us in the future."

Yankee said he is excited to see the final product as well. Students will present their plans to the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors on December 7.

Boerner and Johnson are among 450 students taking part in Academic Service-Learning at UW-Superior during the fall 2010 semester. "Principles of Management" is just one of 16 courses that comprise a partnership between UW-Superior and organizations in nearby communities as part of the Academic Service-Learning program at UW-Superior. These partnerships provide hands-on learning experiences for students and resources for the community.