Wednesday, December 02, 2009

SMU entrepreneurship students raise money for humane society

WINONA, Minn. — Students from the Saint Mary’s University entrepreneurship class sold specially designed T-shirts this fall to raise money for the Winona Area Humane Society. Students pictured include, from left, Jake Lechner, Kathleen Pawlowski, Dave Dahlstrom, Lindsey Quinn and Emily Merchlewitz. Their professor, Jana Schrenkler, fourth from left, presented WAHS volunteers Karen Kryzsko, fourth from right, and Tammy Vondrasek, right, with a gift card for office supplies. Also pictured are Trixie and Al Przybylski, dog handler.

The 20-member class raised $600 for the WAHS with the sale of the first annual Cardinal Pride T-shirt, designed by students. With the proceeds, the class was able to purchase a $400 gift card from Office Depot and reimburse the WAHS $200 for the large animal steps shown. This project — a lesson in social entrepreneurship — is part of the business department’s focus on promoting and supporting the university’s new entrepreneurship major. Each semester, students choose a local non-profit organization in which to donate funds from their class-run business. If you would like to nominate a local non-profit organization to benefit from next semester’s entrepreneurship business, please contact Jana Schrenkler at jschrenk@smumn.edu or (507) 457-1491.