On January 17, Mount Mercy University graduate students will board a plane bound for the Central American country of Belize. Nineteen students from the Master of Business Administration and Master of Strategic Leadership programs—the largest graduate group Mount Mercy has sent since the program was implemented in 2013—are journeying nearly 2,000 miles to help small businesses grow.
“As part of the International Business Strategy and Culture course, Mount Mercy students will share their business expertise with our Belizean partners,” explained Celina Peerman, adjunct faculty. “From financial assessments to inventory to marketing and more, we’ll give their small businesses tips to help them thrive.”
Six new partnerships await the students this year—a bakery, chocolatier, herbal medicine shop, the University of Belize and a community civic group will benefit from assessments. The graduate students will also offer additional business support for a Belizean tea house that was built with the aid of Mount Mercy undergraduate students last year.
“Mount Mercy undergraduates traveled to Belize in 2014 for a service learning experience in which they helped a local farmer build a tea house, helping him fulfill a long-time goal,” said Deb Oliver, director of MBA and MSL programs. “This year the graduate students have a chance to help this same farmer examine his tea house in terms of a business. It will be exciting to see how far he’s come over the last year, and we can’t wait to help him shape his business plan.”
“It’s an incredible experience to help someone’s dream come true,” said Peerman. “We’re completely blessed to have the opportunity to do so.”
This will be the third year Mount Mercy students have made a positive impact the area of Punta Gorda, Belize.