By Jonathan Smith, Student Reporter
Students from the Intro to Business and Technology class have begun selling products they created for a class project called Venture Out!.
“Many groups will be setting up tables in the Campus Center in the next few days, so that will be the best place to look to purchase the products,” said Monty Lynn, Management Sciences Depar-tment chair.
Products range from T-shirts and baseball hats to picture frames and a “Piano Man” CD.
Venture Out!, now in its third semester, gives mainly freshman business students hands-on experience instead of simply having students read and study business tactics, according to Lynn.
Students were put into 20 teams of nine students and each team came up with different product ideas. They also had to compile consumer research into financial plans and sales projections.
Before students receive money to create their products, they have to present their finished plan before a board of bankers, Lynn said.
Students then receive $500 to create their product and then must market their prod-uct to other students. They must pay back the loan and make at least $100 profit.
“They have to deal with managers, bankers and being in debt, so there’s a lot of real world experience,” Lynn said.
Any profit each group receives is donated to a chari-ty of their choice. Benefiting charities have included Christian Homes of Abilene, Noah Project and Love and Care Ministries. Lynn expects this year’s profit to be the most yet.
“Students raised $2,000 the first semester, a little less the second because of smaller classes, and this year will be the biggest semester yet,” Lynn said.
Besides the real-world experience and the chance to help charities, Lynn said he believes students also learn to work as a group.
“Since most of the students are freshmen, this is their first opportunity to really work together as a team,” Lynn said.
He also said this is a lesson that cannot be taught in a classroom.
“There’s a level of learning here that can’t be duplicated with a lecture,” Lynn said. “It’s a really powerful learning tool.”
