Haslam MBA Students Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity

Haslam College of Business MBA students spent some of the last days of summer volunteering their time to a Habitat to Humanity build.

Their efforts marked the 13th consecutive year the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam MBA has had classes participate in Habitat for Humanity construction.

Javier Sosa, a second-year MBA student focusing on logistics, materials and supply chain management, said volunteering at the build was a great teambuilding activity. Haslam students had already volunteered three times this semester, and Sosa participated twice. He spent one day framing interior walls and another putting up siding.

“We were split into four groups to put up the siding,” Sosa said. “We had to be careful to lock the siding down correctly the first time. If a piece was loose, we would only be able to fix it by removing all the siding installed above it.”

Tara Presnell, interim director of the MBA program, praised the students’ willingness to roll up their sleeves and work.

“Our MBA students are future business leaders,” Presnell said. “They are learning and practicing what it means to be servant leaders. I’m proud of them for realizing the importance of making our community, and the communities in which they will lead and serve, even stronger.”

Presnell said the students appreciate where they came from and respect and value the education they are receiving.

The build benefits Monica Robs, a single mother of three children, aged 15 to six. Robs’ oldest son is a high school athlete involved in football and track, while her middle child has autism.