News Releases

Student research builds sustainable ideas for YouthBuild of KCK

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

BY WAYNE LARSON

"There's always something to be learned from how others do what they do," said Masters of Accounting December 2009 graduate Jennifer Decker. Decker and her classmates, from a KU School of Business course taught by the Director of Entrepreneurship Programs Wallace Meyer, worked on a semester-long research project for the YouthBuild of KCK program.

The program, which is a part of the United Way of Wyandotte County, provides people ages 16 - 24 with the opportunity to rebuild their community by building homes for low-income families and, at the same time, earn their GEDs and learn professional trade skills. YouthBuild of KCK is currently funded by the Department of Labor and donations from outside organizations. However, the program directors asked for the School of Business' help when they found they could not rely on those funding sources much longer.

"We asked the students to come up with some ideas on how to make the program sustainable over the long term," said United Way of Wyandotte County President Wendell Maddox. The students held up their end of the bargain and found some great solutions for the program through thorough research of other YouthBuild programs in the country.

"We identified two main things they (YouthBuild of KCK) could be doing," said Decker. "They could set up and run a charter school, perform fundraising and set up a separate business entity for accounting reasons." The students' recommendations and diligent research were accepted with open arms.

"It wasn't something that we thought about beforehand, but once they presented it to us with all their research, it makes a lot of sense," said Maddox, "and we plan to at least pursue the feasibility of it."

The learning was not lopsided throughout the semester. The students learned a lot from their experience working with a non-profit organization, too.

"This was certainly a rewarding experience - to work at a solution to help those in need," said Decker. Maddox made a point to ask the students if they learned anything from working with the program, as any School of Business professor would do.

"I asked them Ôdid you have any "aha moments" along the way,'" said Maddox. Many of the students were inspired by the program's employees' immense passion for their work, which leads Maddox to believe "there are some tremendous opportunities ahead of this program."