PwC Scholars begin work on 2019 community service project
As any current or past PwC Scholar will tell you, one of the most gratifying parts of the program is helping with the annual community service project.
This year, the School of Management scholars program is partnering with Kali’s Klubhouse, an organization in Apalachin, N.Y., that provides support for individuals with emotional, physical and social disabilities. Through the use of both mounted and unmounted equine activities, Kali’s Klubhouse seeks to help clients expand boundaries and increase their understanding of the world around them.
As part of the project, PwC Scholars will help renovate a recently constructed classroom, transforming it into a child-friendly space just in time for the peak programming season. They’ll also make aesthetic improvements to both indoor and outdoor facilities and will install kitchen cabinets and a library nook. The scholars are also in the process of creating a career-development guide to help at-risk youth, as well as a database to provide quick access to the organization’s records.
Work for this year’s project has already begun. In the fall, scholars toured the facilities, met the horses and began working around the farm. Some of the community service project members even participated in team-building activities with miniature horses, allowing them to experience some of the programming that Kali’s Klubhouse offers.
Because community service is one of the four pillars of the PwC Scholars program, students continue to have a significant impact on the Greater Binghamton area. This year’s project will conclude during the second week of April, when current scholars, program alumni and professionals from PwC in New York City will work together to put in the final installations.
To prepare for their annual community service project, the PwC Scholars host a number of fundraising events throughout the school year that target students and professionals. This year’s fundraising goal is $16,000.
One of the program’s largest events, Ignite, raised over $10,000 this past fall. Ignite puts a new spin on networking, allowing students and professionals to interact outside of the traditional recruiting process. The two groups team up to complete challenges created by scholars, giving students an opportunity to showcase team-based skills in a competitive, but friendly, setting. The event is inspired by the CLIP competition that was started by Joshua Katz ’13 in 2011.
Freshmen in the program are required to create and facilitate their own small-scale fundraisers during their first two semesters at Binghamton University. The first freshman fundraiser of the year, a Family Feud event, raised almost $300.
The group’s annual Chipotle fundraiser raised just over $900, while a festive winter event organized by Jessica Meano, vice president of fundraising, raised nearly $100. Scholars dressed up as Santa Claus and took Polaroid photos with students in the University Union.
A number of events this semester will help push the scholars closer to hitting their fundraising goal. Upcoming events include:
- A dodgeball tournament (this year’s second freshman fundraiser) on Saturday, March 30, in the West Gym
- The annual “Date” Auction was held Tuesday, Feb. 26. Students bid on unique networking events, ranging from bowling to attending a Mets game, with professionals.
- The fourth annual MarketWatch competition, sponsored by Visions Federal Credit Union, pits students, alumni and professionals against each other in a stock market challenge. If you’re interested in participating, contact the group at pwcschlr@binghamton.edu.