Aletha Dunston learned a lot about grant-proposal writing through Ball State University's Business Fellows program this year.
The city of Muncie, however, gained a lot more.
"What we worked on really helped all people who can't afford to pay for programs or all children who need something to do after school so they won't get into trouble," Dunston said of the Business Fellows Grantsmanship Cooperative. "We're helping out with the crime rate, education, and we help children build their self-esteem."
The senior urban planning major was one of several students who displayed 13 projects at the Business Fellows Showcase Wednesday. Funded by a $1.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., the university's first Business Fellows program gave about 100 students the opportunity to do intense applied work to benefit Indiana businesses and organizations.
Dunston worked with seniors Mary Troyan and Jennifer Walton in generating proposals to fund programming at three local non-profit organizations: Muncie's Roy C. Buley Community Center and Cornerstone Center for the Arts, and Shelbyville's Blue River Foundation.
"It's a skill, not a calling," Dunston said, repeating what her faculty mentor Linda Keys, from the Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs, constantly told her during the year-long project. "And it's true. It doesn't take any real talent. It's just a process ... Once you learn the process, it goes a lot more smoothly."
A group of seven students also created a strategic marketing plan for Muncie's Paragent Software. Organized 18 months ago, the start-up company focuses on security software for businesses as well as technological innovations that can be used nationally and worldwide.
The students' marketing plan included situation analysis, Web site development, public relations, advertising and a sales plan, Eric Banter, Paragent's chief operating officer, said. The team worked on the background research for four months, followed by a month of conducting a focus group and two months of producing the actual plan, senior Lacey Deal, landscape architecture major and marketing minor, said.
"I have an interest in marketing in addition to architecture, and what I actually want to do is do marketing at a design firm," Deal said. "So I thought seeing a different side of marketing would be a good experience."
Banter said he was delighted for the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with Ball State students.
"I think initially when we got involved, we said this would be a great opportunity for us to give back to the community and work with students to let them see how a small business works," Banter said. "As we got into it, we realized these individuals were very knowledgeable, professional. We're very pleased with the outcome of the project presented to us."
Other Business Fellows projects include the Entrepreneurial Community Assessment Program, coordinated by Jeff Hornsby, management and entrepreneurship professor. Through the program, eight students assessed the community infrastructures of Jay County and Winchester, and made recommendations for business development in these communities.
"Part of the goal is to work with communities and develop a relationship and share the skills the university has," Hornsby said. "Ball state is a state institution, and we need to be playing in helping communities across the state."
The new Business Fellow program was more successful this year than organizers anticipated, involving seven counties instead of the one or two initially planned, and having 30 to 40 more student participants than expected. Seven projects have already been finalized for next year, Deborah Balogh, associate provost and Business Fellows co-director, said.
"Anytime that the university is engaging with the community on any project, it is win-win," Balogh said. "The Business Fellows is an example of the way in which Ball State can contribute to the broader agenda of building better communities."
Students can apply for next year's program at http://www.bsu.edu/students/careers/fellows/.
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