Fisher College of Business community comes together for day of service

Students, faculty and staff at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business donated their time to charitable organizations throughout central Ohio during the 2022 Fisher Impact Day on Nov. 11. Held annually on Veterans Day, the student-led initiative unites the college community in a day of service.

Fisher Impact Day represents a key component of students’ experience: the opportunity to develop skills that will differentiate them as future leaders in business and in their communities, said Anil K. Makhija, dean and John W. Berry, Sr. Chair in Business at Fisher.

“Every year, I am amazed by the positive and inspirational impact that our college community provides to organizations throughout central Ohio,” he said. “Since our first Fisher Impact Day in 2015, it has been uplifting to see countless students use this event as a launching pad for their development as leaders whose passion for business is complemented by a genuine desire to serve others.”

Each year, the Fisher Impact Day planning committee connects with local organizations to address community needs, said Jane Dresing, a finance major who served as a student leader for this year’s event.

“Most importantly,” she said, “it’s the ability to all get together as a college and as a community and participate in giving back and making an impact and understanding that what you do makes a difference.”

This year, 759 volunteers participated in Fisher Impact Day and completed a variety of service projects:

·         Wrote 166 letters to veterans and collected 269 paracord bracelets for Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for volunteers to thank military personnel, veterans and first responders for their service.

·         Assembled 216 activity bags for Nationwide Children’s Hospital patients.

·         Created 323 “no-sew” blankets for My Very Own Blanket, a nonprofit organization that provides blankets to central Ohio children in foster care.

·         Made 163 dog toys and donated them to the Columbus Humane Society.

Maria Porras, a student resident adviser assistant majoring in human resources, said she gained a sense of fulfillment while working alongside her classmates, writing letters to veterans and military personnel and making toys to donate to the Columbus Humane Society.

“I thought it was a really positive experience, seeing so many students in attendance and watching them give back,” she said. “It shows they’re thinking about their own passions and using their energy and engagement towards a bigger purpose.”

Fisher Impact Day not only benefits the Columbus community, but also serves as a bonding exercise for students, Dresing said.

“I love the camaraderie that is felt among the students when we’re all here in Fisher and across the campus on our day off,” she said. “We had the dean come and speak. We had Brutus Buckeye there, as well, and he was really hyping up everyone. Historically, it’s always been a really fun event to all come together.”