Published: Aug. 21, 2001

As they head to the bookstore and become acquainted with campus, new MBA students at CU-Boulder also will help the community as part of their introduction to the university.

To set the tone for the CU-Boulder MBA program, first-year MBA students will join other members of the community to landscape, weed, paint and do minor repairs to help spruce up the nonprofit September School, located at 15th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. September School is an alternative high school with a curriculum that focuses on the arts, community and consequences of personal action.

The work will be done on Friday, Aug. 24, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is one of the final activities of the weeklong MBA orientation.

"Philanthropy is part of our MBA students' education," said business Dean Steven Manaster. "In addition to learning finance and marketing, we want our graduates to understand personal, societal and business values."

"We were given the opportunity to plan this event as part of our ongoing activities to raise awareness about social responsibility and business," said MBA student Jeff Yorzyk.

In addition to the orientation program's philanthropic activities, CU-Boulder MBA students have joined a national network of graduate students committed to using the power of business to create positive social change. The local chapter of the group, Net Impacts, offers MBA students the opportunity to learn about and promote business opportunities in social entrepreneurship, corporate responsibility and sustainability.

Yorzyk, co-chair of the Boulder chapter, said Net Impacts offers another venue for the CU-Boulder College of Business to increase its emphasis on developing future leaders who focus on social responsibility as well as the bottom line.