Partnerships with area colleges and universities strengthen RTP's
infrastructure and outreach. They also are “win, win, win”
situations. The schools find a unique vehicle for meeting their goals of
civic involvement. The students often find their RTP experience to be not
only educational, but also life-altering. For more information on becoming a student
HMT (house management team) or volunteer group, OR if you have an idea for
another type of student project, please contact Jen Wootten,
Administrator and Program Coordinator at
jenw@rebuildingphilly.org
.
University of Pennsylvania
As the incubator of Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, The Wharton School of
Business of the University of Pennsylvania plays a pivotal role in shaping the
operations of RTP's work in West Philadelphia. Supporting RTP is a major
community service activity at both the graduate and undergraduate levels –
Penn-wide! An estimated 500 student volunteers made essential repairs for
14 homeowners in 2009-2010. For more information, contact the
West Philadelphia Executive Board
or the
Penn Undergraduate Board
.
Deputy Vice Dean Dr. B. Kembrel Jones was particularly impressed by the Wharton volunteers this year. Dr. Jones nominated the program for the TeamMBA Award presented by the Graduate Management Admission Council®. B-schoolers know the company well as it is the administrator of the GMAT entrance exam. The annual TeamMBA Award program recognizes schools that exemplify a commitment to social responsibility through the actions of their students and the school's demonstrated support of these efforts. The decision of a committee composed of business school professionals will be revealed in June during a ceremony at the GMAC® Annual Industry Conference.
University of Delaware
University of Delaware student teams support RTP while in pursuit of a minor in Management Information Systems at the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. Through the capstone projects course, students adapt, integrate, and implement technology to enhance their problem solving skills on behalf of a client. As "consultants," teams have designed our electronic newsletter and an online mailing list registration; researched RTP's fund-raising database and accounting software; informed the design and content of the website; documented community impact; strengthened internal communications; and researched warehouse inventory systems, marketing strategies and digital photo cataloging. During the Spring of 2010, the student team focused on developing strategies to build and enhance RTP's Facebook network.
Learn more about the MIS Minor at University of Delaware.
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Independence and safety are often concerns for older adults. Students and faculty from the University of the Sciences Occupational Therapy Department worked with older adult homeowners to recommend and implement home modifications that enabled these homeowners to be safer and more independent in their homes. In addition, information regarding homeowner satisfaction, change in safety/performance, and commonly recommended modifications was collected to guide future projects.
Learn more about the Occupational Therapy Department at USP.
Thomas Jefferson University
For three years, the Student Occupational Therapy Association at Thomas Jefferson University was a house management team with RTP. As occupational therapy students, team members brought a refreshing perspective to homeowner projects as well as strong interpersonal skills. The students had many ideas for functional recommendations and repairs. Their training lent itself to providing organizational services to prevent falls, painting services to compensate for decreased endurance, and home modifications such as an area rug with a tack runner to prevent injury. Students appreciated the real world opportunity to utilize a collaborative approach for client-centered modifications. On average, more than thirty students contributed their time and energy to the homeowner project each year.
Learn more about the Occupational Therapy Department at Thomas Jefferson University.
