A fundraising effort, sponsored by the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business to support youth literacy and education in rural China, has raised enough money to build eight libraries in these often-neglected regions of the country. The money raised at the Smith School's Team Maryland Thanksgiving Charity Fundraising Dinner, Nov. 24, 2007 in Shanghai will benefit The Library Project (www.library-project.org), a non-profit organization that donates books and libraries to underserved schools and orphanages in China.
Nearly 150 people attended the fundraising dinner while corporate sponsors many of them Maryland-based companies such as W.R. Grace, Black & Decker and Under Armour provided cash gifts and products for auction. Through donations and ticket sales, sponsors and participants ensured that the event drew funds equal to the amount needed to construct eight libraries. The following day Team Maryland, which consisted of 70 runners including alumni and students from the Smith School's Executive MBA program in China, competed in the Shanghai International Marathon as part of the fundraiser.
Wed like to express our sincere gratitude and a heartfelt thanks to the Smith School, its students, alumni and all the people who participated. Children are our future and education can change their future, said Thomas Stader, founder and director of The Library Project.
In this case, the donations for The Library Project will go toward books, furniture, supplies and librarian training that will substantially improve the education children receive at schools in Anhui province, Maryland's sister state in China. This supports The Library Projects ambitious goal of constructing and equipping more than 80 libraries for orphanages and elementary schools in rural China by 2008, and 350 libraries by 2010.
I am really grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Smith Schools efforts to advance The Library Project, said Paul Mauerman, financial controller at Black & Decker Suzhou and a Smith EMBA program participant in China. This is something that needs to get done.
It was unquestionably a school spirit, team building event, added Lei Liu, vice president of operations and marketing for Spreadtrum Real Estate Development Co. Ltd. and fellow Smith student. Hosting events like this is experience that you wont get in class.
The Smith School recently expanded its U.S. curriculum adding new courses and MBA consulting projects as well as launched an endowment fund to strengthen its focus on social responsibility. The endowment fund created through donations from alumni Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard head, and Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour athletic apparel company earmarks $50,000 for investment in student-started, socially responsible ventures.
Business leaders need to be socially responsible leaders, said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. The Smith School is committed to providing opportunities for students to have an impact on the environment and humanity as well as to sharing resources that have a positive impact on China and Chinas development.
▓ Angela Toda, Office of Marketing Communications
