Arizona State University business student Isaac Willard, who plans to graduate in December 2011, has been taking a course titled “Responsible Management” this semester. The “MGT 410” class is required for B.S. in business management students at the W.P. Carey School of Business on the ASU Tempe campus.
I met Willard one day while exploring the Phoenix Art Museum in downtown Phoenix. He, and another couple of ASU students, were there volunteering for a “PhxArtKids Day” — during which children ages 5-12 enjoy free arts and crafts activities. Willard was helping children in a room set up for coloring, while other volunteers helped children in an adjacent room decorate cigar box purses and treasure chests.
I suspect it was these college students’Â first encounter in quite some time with materials like ribbon, feathers, pipe cleaners, glitter glue, felt scraps, foam shapes, buttons, sequins, assorted fabrics and such.
It’s likely that you’ll cross paths with at least a few ASU students if you attend “The Holiday Festival” Sun, Dec, 12, at the Phoenix Art Museum — a special event that features kids’ activities, entertainment, seasonal offerings and the “unwrapping of a very, very big gift.”
ASU students in the responsbile management class are required to volunteer for 25 hours over the course of the semester. Volunteer gigs vary, says Willard. Some students volunteer with the small business administration or health organizations that address issues like cardiac arrest awareness. I’m guessing their props aren’t nearly as playful.
So what lessons has Willard learned during his time with children and crayons? “I’ve learned the importance of community support for non-profits,” reflects Willard. “I see how much work it is to run something like a museum,” he says — calling the notion that non-profits are run haphazardly a “myth.” “They have structures, procedures and departments like other businesses,” Willard adds.
Willard admits that seeing the impact of non-profits on the community increases the likelihood that he’ll volunteer or make financials gifts to such organizations in the future — noting that he was particularly moved when working one evening with juvenile offenders. “It’s important,” shares Willard, “to always remember to give back.”
As a child in Singapore, Willard developed an interest in science and engineering — and today he’s studying topics like the “supply chain” and “logistics.” He’s also done a tour of active duty with the U.S. Navy, and recalls being struck by “so much red tape and bureaucracy.” He hopes to one day be self-employed.
Before volunteering with the Phoenix Art Museum, the only art exhibit Willard had seen was a touring exhibition called “Cars and Guitars” at the Tempe Center for the Arts. But he’s an eager convert, insisting that the importance of community-based arts programs only increases as our schools receive less funding for the arts. He’s also a staunch supporter of education, saying that “education is the last place we should make cuts.”
Before taking the responsible management class, Willard “did not even realize museums were non-profit.” Now he’s a fervent supporter pondering the collective impact a group of engaged citizens. “Considering that there are 60,000 people at ASU,” muses Willard, “we can have a big impact.”
And so can you. Grab your kids and head to the Phoenix Art Museum for all or part of the noon to 8pm festivities today (Sun, Dec 12). It’s a great way to enjoy some indoor and outdoor family fun, and to lead by example when it comes to instilling a love and respect for the arts in the next generation.
— Lynn
Note: The ASU Art Museum has partnered with 16 Valley artists and diverse Tempe businesses to “call attention to the importance of local artists, businesses and organizations. The “Open for Business” exhibit runs through Jan 29, 2011. And remember that both the Phoenix Art Museum and the ASU Art Museum have museum shops offering unique holiday gift selections.
Coming up: Visual arts in the Valley of the Sun
