It will forever amaze me how well this college prepares its students for their futures. If we’re being honest, all of the hands-on aspects of this school attracted me to it. Then again, I’m the type of person who learns best when I’m actually doing something rather than just sitting there reading a book and then being tested on the material that I just read. However, I really think that students getting involved in different projects that will help them in the future is a great way for them to apply what they’ve learned.
As a communications major, I don’t know too much about the business department. Business majors must complete a project during their first year. They work with a local business to help them solve one of their business issues. The students work in teams and then present their solution to their business for a final grade. This project counts as credits for the Signature Learning Experience (SLE) and as a community-based learning experience. I think that this is a beneficial project because these students are getting an early start through hands-on experience with their possible future careers.
Sophomore Mikaela Smith and her team worked with the Elizabethtown Public Library and Elizabethtown Coffee Company. I have yet to visit the public library here in town, so naturally I had no idea that there was a coffee shop inside. Books and coffee or warm beverages are two of my favorite things in life, and combining the two just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The purpose of the project was to help the library be more aware of other coffee shops in the Etown area so they can implement a successful business plan.
I learned many new things from reading about this project. I had no idea that there were 13 coffee shops within a fifteen mile radius of the Etown Public Library, so it would appear that Etown Coffee Co. would have quite a bit of competition. At the same time, I think it also depends on what type of atmosphere customers look for. As mentioned in the project, some of the coffee shops are “Mom and Pop” type businesses, while the others are larger corporations that many consumers are probably more familiar with.
What I found really interesting about the project is that for each coffee shop, they included where the business was located, the hours of operation and specific features that make each shop unique. Just from this I learned about different shops that I didn’t even know existed and am now interested in checking them out. Then the students went even further. They took selected businesses and reviewed them. Each member of the team said something about Folklore, Dunkin’ Donuts or Panera Bread. I think that by adding their own personal opinions to the project, they could help give the library a better sense of what consumers look for.
The students found four main areas in which Etown Coffee Co. could improve. These four items included price range, appearance, customer’s knowledge and product line. Although I have never been to Etown Coffee Co., I do believe these things are standard aspects where every business has room for improvement.
The group of students working on this project conducted such extensive research. By the end I’m sure they were happy that their final composition was completed and thorough. This project is a great idea that certainly got me interested in going to the Elizabethtown Public Library to try Etown Coffee Co. Who knows? Maybe that could be the next great homework spot.
