Three University of West Georgia students recently raised $2,000 and donated the money to the West Georgia Technical College Foundation, earmarked for student scholarships.
(L to R): SSBH program students Emily Phillippi, Tiffany Ramroop, and Jonathan Bell
Jonathan Bell (Bowdon), Tiffany Ramroop (Loganville), and Emily Phillippi (Tallapoosa) are all members of the Southwire Sustainable Business Honors Program at UWG’s Richards College of Business.
One of the tenets of the program involves giving back to the community, and the three students chose West Georgia Tech students as recipients of their efforts.
The Southwire Sustainable Business Honors program consists of a select group of business majors attending UWG. Only a few high-achieving students are selected to be a part of the accelerated program, which allows students to earn a bachelor’s in business administration in economics, finance, management, marketing, or real estate, plus a master’s of business administration and a certificate of sustainability, in only four years.
The students also spend 30 hours per week working alongside Southwire employees, which gives them hands-on experience as they earn their degrees.
“We can’t thank these students enough for offering such a generous donation to the WGTC Foundation,” West Georgia Technical College President Steve G. Daniel said. “This is just one more example of the collaborative effort between the University of West Georgia, West Georgia Technical College, and our community partners such as Southwire, as we all strive to make our communities better. I would like for Jonathan, Tiffany, and Emily to know how much we appreciate them for their thoughtful and meaningful contribution, which will benefit students in need.”
The funds will be used to help West Georgia Tech students offset financial burdens that might hinder their ability to go to college, according to West Georgia Tech Vice President of Institutional Advancement Kim Learnard.
“We are so grateful for the generosity that Jonathan, Tiffany and Emily have shown,” Kim said. “The funds will have a major impact in the lives of local residents who are struggling to make ends meet as they attend WGTC. I am so thankful that they have a vision for how valuable an education can be, but also for how difficult it can be for those who are struggling financially. The WGTC Foundation is committed to doing all that we can to help our students overcome those obstacles. We could not do it without the contributions from our communities such as the generous and unexpected one that we received from these students.”
Jonathan, Tiffany, and Emily raised the funds by contacting various civic clubs and organizations throughout the area as part of their Giving Back project, one of the five projects they will complete over the course of their program that align with Southwire’s five tenets: Giving Back, Growing Green, Living Well, Building Worth, and Doing Right.
“Emily, Johnny and Tiffany make a great team,” said Southwire Human Resources Director and co-director of the SSBH Program Mandy Baeumel. “In their first year, SSBHP students are challenged with a way to give back to their local communities. Because so many students could lack the financial assistance needed to attend college, these young adults decided to give back in a way that would allow individuals to attend West Georgia Technical College with a little less burden than would have otherwise existed. I am incredibly proud of them for their efforts in raising funds to help other students in need, and I know their efforts will go far.”
Jonathan said that although the project demanded a lot of time and effort, it was more than worth it when he personally delivered the check to Kim.
“We could not have raised the money without significant buy-in from local community leaders and organizations,” Jonathan said. “This community is a caring community that wants to help others in any way that they can, and we were fortunate enough to be able to tap into some of those resources. I can’t think of a better recipient of these funds than the West Georgia Technical College Foundation.”
To learn more about the Southwire Sustainable Business Honors Program, go online at www.westga.edu/business/ssbh.php or contact the Richards College of Business at 678-839-6467.
Do you have a comment or opinion about this story's topic? Perspective Online wants to hear from you. Submit a letter to the editor today.
