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MBAs Practicing HR

Students in the Master of Business Administration  program (pictured) at the Roanoke Valley Campus recently assisted the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (RCAP). Southeast RCAP helps area communities build better water systems to supply clean and healthy water to local residents. The MBA students worked with Southeast RCAP Human Resource Director Donna Robinson to analyze the non-profit’s benefits package that their employees currently receive. The study involved many hours of research and comparing employee benefits package of 12 other area organizations. Students also researched and averaged private industry and government benefits packages to provide Southeast RCAP with useful benchmarking tools for their benefits package review.

The project involved four MBA classes with approximately 35 students. From this experience, participating students noted how much they learned about non-profit organizations, employee benefit packages, data gathering, and, most importantly, team work. Student project leader Clay Hodges said, “I didn’t think we could pull this project together. It was so big and messy, but the team came through.” On August 10, students formally presented their findings and conclusions to Donna and the Southeast RCAP Board of Directors. Donna said that she greatly appreciated the thoroughness of the work from the students and the high level of written and oral presentation given to her and her staff. She also said that the quality of the work “exceeded her hopes and expectations” and that she considers MBA Program Chair Dr. Annette Chamberlin “a diamond” among the National faculty.