Johnson School Park Fellows to Hold Project Fair and Reception

Fellows Will Showcase Their Projects That Improve Life at Johnson School and in Ithaca

May 3, 2004, Ithaca, New York The Johnson Graduate School of Management is pleased to invite the public to the second annual Park Fellows Project Fair and Reception on Tuesday, May 4th from 6-8PM in the Sage Hall Atrium. At the fair, 28 Park Fellows from the Class of 2004 will discuss their work on ten different service leadership projects they have completed over the past year. Each of these projects benefited a variety of clients, including non-profits and for-profit companies in Ithaca as well as the Johnson School itself.

The Roy H. Park Leadership Fellowship Program was established in 1997 and is funded through the generosity of the Triad Foundation, Inc. The Program is founded on a leadership theme that emphasizes professional achievement as well as personal contribution. Each Park Leadership Fellow must make a significant public service contribution to the Johnson School, the University, or the greater Ithaca community through the completion of a service leadership project. These projects serve as a capstone for leadership development at the Johnson School by providing the Park Fellows with an opportunity to practice their leadership skills, integrate the perspectives of diverse disciplines, and develop an enduring commitment to public service while benefiting either non-profit organizations or for-profit start-ups that stimulate economic development. These projects benefit not only the client and the community, but also the Park Fellows themselves by enabling them to deepen their appreciation of the rewards of public service.

Since 1999, the Park Fellows have executed projects for nearly 60 clients in the Cornell University and greater Ithaca communities. Projects have ranged from working with clients to help the Ithaca area stimulate economic development (examples: Ithaca Air Services, the Ithaca Downtown Partnership, and the Ithaca State Theater) to helping local non-profits solve various business issues (examples: the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, the Paleontological Research Institute, the Cayuga Nature Center, Challenge Industries, and the Alternative Federal Credit Union) to enriching the Cornell and Johnson School environments (examples: Big Red Venture Capital Fund, creation of Camp $tart-Up at Cornell, creation of the Community Consulting Group at the Johnson School, and delivery of the Johnson School Balanced Scorecard.)

Interesting 2004 Park projects include:

• a strategic analysis of market opportunities and the development of a business plan for the historic Ithaca State Theater;
• the creation and launch of a non-profit dedicated to assisting lower-income families with the financial support needed to renovate their homes;
• providing assistance to launch a socially-oriented, for-profit enterprise focused on producing fine chocolate while promoting art and education in society;
• conducting an analysis and developing a project plan for the expansion of a retirement home serving the local community; and
• developing a plan to make broader use of services provided by Challenge Industries, a local non-profit.

Interesting 2003 Park projects include:

• engineering the financial turnaround and supporting the strategic planning of a local, environmentally-related non-profit;
• launch of the Johnson School's Community Consulting Group, a program which enables MBA students from the Johnson School to assist non-profits in the local community through application of their business expertise and skills; and
• an examination of a local independent-living facility for seniors in order to develop a model of service delivery and monitoring designed to keep residents independent longer and to reduce premature moves to nursing homes or other institutional settings.

The Johnson Graduate School of Management prides itself on teaching "real time, real world" business skills, and is among the top business schools in the world. The school distinguishes itself with a wide variety experiential learning opportunities, such as immersion curricula and student-run venture capital and mutual funds. Programs include MBA and doctoral degrees, a twelve-month MBA option for students with advanced degrees in science or engineering, an executive MBA and a variety of customized executive education programs. Visit the Johnson School on the web at www.johnson.cornell.edu.

For More Information
Randall Sawyer
Public Relations Officer
607 255-8006
rs348@cornell.edu