The hospitality industry is known for its generosity. At Missouri State University, our students learn the importance of giving back to the community. Over 90% of HRA seniors participated in community engagement activities this fall. Community engagement is one of the three pillars of the Missouri State University’s public affairs mission. The goal of this pillar is to “recognize the importance of contributing their knowledge and experiences to their own community and broader society.”
HRA students find their skills and knowledge to be extremely beneficial to organizations in the community. Organizations are constantly looking for volunteers with great interpersonal skills, a desire to care for others and the environment and experience in the hospitality industry is always a plus for those special event fundraisers.
A few of the not-for-profits benefitting from HRA students’ work include:
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks
- Ozark Greenways
- St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
- Convoy of Hope
- Ozarks Food Harvest
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks
In the classroom, HRA faculty and students engage in discussions and projects on community engagement and sustainability such as energy usage, carbon footprints and innovative ideas to be more sustainable in the industry.
Kara Edwards, a fall 2015 graduate, is a great example of a student who embraced the public affairs mission while at Missouri State. While working at the Hilton Garden Inn, she became the President of their Outreach/Green Team and volunteered with such things as highway cleanups, Ozarks Food Harvest and St. Jude’s fundraising. “Community engagement has always been important to me. I do it because of how it makes me feel. I want to help those less fortunate, and I also care about the environment. I can make a difference in my community by simply picking up trash off the side of the road,” said Edwards.