On Oct. 18, just before the Blue Jays finished preparing for Homecoming and Parents’ Weekend, Elizabethtown College welcomed several leaders of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lancaster County to speak in Leffler’s M&M Mars Room.
Melissa Siwiec, executive director of BBBS of Lancaster County, as well as Luann Smith, Lancaster County’s BBBS school based program coordinator, visited Etown to discuss how non-profit work can be integrated into a corporation for maximized success. While most of the students present at the event were business majors, the speakers managed both to examine how non-profits correlate to business and how volunteering has relevance to the entire student body.
After introducing themselves, the speakers announced that they needed volunteers for their presentation. Much to the surprise and delight of the audience, Siwiec and Smith called for students to compete in what they dubbed “The Non-Profit Quiz Game Show.” Previously tired students immediately perked up and raised their hands. The first stand-off was between two students with plush toy animals as beepers. After one of the speakers asked a question regarding non-profits, the students squeezed either their toy zebra or cow. Student contestants contended for one of several color-changing prize cups. With each squeeze of the stuffed animals, the toy’s spontaneous “moo!” or “whinny” became increasingly faster as Siwiec quizzed contestants on things such as their tax responsibilities and the differences between non-profit and for-profit organizations.
As Siwiec explained the correct answers to the game show questions, she covered concerns about how endowments are used for non-profit organizations, what exactly constitutes a non-profit organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters and which strategies make for the best cooperation between non-profits and successful corporations.
Siwiec encouraged the audience to avoid establishing yet another non-profit when there are at least 5,000 alone in Lancaster County. She further explained that, especially in the early stages of establishment, a new non-profit can drain money that could be used to assist preexisting organizations with similar purposes. A more efficient way of becoming involved is to find “another organization to take you under its wing,” Siwiec said, noting the importance of contributing resources to non-profits which do similar service work.
Smith addressed the link between corporate success and volunteer work. She emphasized that when members of a corporation mentor kids, especially at-risk children like those in Big Brothers Big Sisters, they are mentoring the future workforce. Volunteer experience gives employers the opportunity to familiarize themselves with those who may be future employees. Smith suggested that mentored kids will have a better chance of becoming responsible employees because of the guidance and interest in those kids’ well-being that volunteers can offer.
While volunteering for non-profits can be beneficial in fostering relationships and honing talents for the good of those who are underprivileged, Smith said people also want to work for “a business that’s going to align with their own values.” She also mentioned that a corporation’s volunteer work can help its employees to bond as one of the many corporate benefits of collaborative, non-profit service.
In particular, she accentuated that corporations have the opportunity to “show altruism,” which boosts a business’ public reputation, by serving non-profits. Smith began to share her knowledge of evaluations, data and management with students, stressing that the importance of evaluation in the non-profit world applies to the corporate realm. She specified that in Big Brothers Big Sisters, frequent assessments are valuable because they ensure the success and safety of vulnerable children.
Although the event lasted for about an hour, Siwiec and Smith presented a vast amount of information both about Big Brothers Big Sisters. Pamphlets for students interested in volunteering with BBBS of Lancaster County were distributed toward the end of the lecture for interested Etown students. Those interested are always welcome to assume roles as mentors in programs with the BBBS.
