Cedar Crest Graduate Students Partner with Local Nonprofit

This summer, graduate students in the business department's Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Modular Master of Science (MMS) program worked together to assess marketing and operations for Bloom, a volunteer-based non-profit that provides assistance to victims of sex trafficking in the Lehigh Valley. In addition to running several emergency shelters for women in the area, the Bloom organization has two retail locations that help generate revenue for the organization: My Sister's Closet in Bethlehem, and Bloom Creative Studio in Bangor. Two teams of students in the business department master's capstone, BUA 650 Integrated Practicum, met with representatives from Bloom to assess their retail operations and provide recommendations to improve the marketing and operational efficiency of each. The students gained valuable hands-on experience working for a crucial local advocacy organization while at the same time giving back service to the community.

Team One worked with My Sister's Closet, led by Team Captain Adena Mertz, the team included Tiffany Crush, Valerie Downing, Kyle Elsasser, Andrea Mackiewicz, Karina Ruiz, and Breanna Young. Team Two worked with Bloom Creative Studio, led by Team Captain Daria Warner, the team included Samuel Ajayi, Elizabeth Gwynne, Erika Hanna, Brittany Mokshefsky, Lynn Staples, and Caitlyn Unger. Dr. Michael C. Zalot, assistant professor of business and the director of both graduate programs in the Business Department supervised the student teams. The teams each provided in-depth written recommendations as well as a formal online presentation to Bloom.