Dear Class of 2015,

Congratulations on your admission and welcome to the Illinois MBA! I hope that you are all enjoying your summer and look forward to meeting you in the fall. It feels like just yesterday that I was in your shoes – eager to begin the next phase of my life and take on the new challenges that would lie ahead.

One of the most rewarding experiences of my first year of the MBA program was becoming an active member of the Kola Foundation (www.kolafoundation.org).  Kola is a non-profit organization 100% run by Illinois MBA students with the goal of improving the quality of life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, one of the most impoverished regions in the U.S.  The Foundation was formed after a group of MBA students and a former MBA Dean took a trip to Pine Ridge for a week-long volunteer trip in 2010, and the organization has grown significantly over its first three years of existence. We work on a number of different projects including hosting a 5k fundraiser, sponsoring the LNI business plan competition, recruiting students to come to the university for the summer RAP program, and much more.

It is with great enthusiasm that I am able to share a tremendous opportunity for YOU to participate in the fourth annual week-long service trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  The trip, which is facilitated by a non-profit on the reservation called Re-Member (www.re-member.org), exposes participants to Native American history, culture, tradition and spirituality, while also affording opportunities to repair the extremely damaged quality of life on Pine Ridge.  For those that have gone in the last three years, this experience has been an adventure like no other.  The trip inspired me to get involved and give back to a community in need and was a great way to meet some classmates before orientation.

I would encourage each and every one of you to strongly consider this opportunity to embark on a highly unique adventure and represent the Illinois MBA in making a difference on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. I can assure you that you will not regret it.  The trip will take place from August 9 – August 16.  Air travel (from Chicago), room and board will be covered with minimal expense to you.  If there is enough demand, ground transportation will also be provided from Champaign to Chicago.  There are 10 spots available.  It is a priority of the Illinois MBA to give back and this trip is paramount in reflecting that commitment.

If you are interested in embarking on this journey, or are interested in being a future leader of the Kola Foundation, please email me at: hopper1@illinois.edu

Please respond with a brief statement of interest as well as any restrictions that might inhibit your participation in physical activity by Friday, June 21st

Regards,

Brittany Hopper
MBA Candidate 2014
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
President/CEO, Kola Foundation

iPhotoNews – Running the NCAA Division I course used by the Illinois cross-country squad, almost 80 runners, from the ages nine to 68, competed for prizes and bragging rights at Second Annual April Fools 5K on a brisk Saturday morning at the University of Illinois Arboretum.

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L.A Times – While alcohol is banned on the reservation, booze shacks like those in Whiteclay, run by non-Indians, have long done a demon’s business along the border, selling alcohol to Native Americans, even minors, ignoring the fact that the tribe has a collective drinking problem, tribal members say.

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L.A Times – The government cut off the electricity to Wounded Knee and attempted to keep all food supplies from entering the area. For 71 days, the men and women in Wounded Knee lived on minimal resources during their standoff with the federal forces.

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The Daily Illini – The Graduate Marketing Association, a group within the University’s MBA program, held their first April Fools’ 5K run/walk this Sunday to raise money for the Kola Foundation.

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