Students Assist United Way

During the 2004 winter semester, students in Sandra Poindexter’s (Business) CIS 250-255 classes participated in a community service project that helped redesign the United Way of Marquette County’s office Web site.

Besides revamping the three-year-old site, students also worked with the United Way personnel, providing training for office software to maximize their proficiency. The students provided manuals for the on-line content changes as well as some of the other office programs that United Way uses.

United Way of Marquette County approached NMU for help after receiving some new directives from the United Way of America requiring a new Web site design that was beyond its capabilities. The organization was referred to Poindexter, whose students interviewed the staff and board of directors to determine the needs of the workers and of those who make donations.

“It was a great class, great enthusiasm with the students,” said Barbara Mattson, information specialist for the United Way of Marquette County . Mattson was impressed with the diligence of the students in working with the office staff, gathering input to make sure the training and Web site were tailored to suit everyone’s needs.

Poindexter said that she was pleased with how the students grew to understand the United Way’s mission and how its components work together for the benefit of the community. “The students experienced a real life project, with the ups and downs of a real life project,” Poindexter said. “They knew it was a real life entity that would really use their assignments.”

A letter from the United Way of Marquette County to Poindexter and her CIS students said, “We were in dire need of the templates you developed to support our marketing efforts, and the training, supported by the quick ‘how to’ reference guides, will be invaluable to us. Thank you.”

To see the results of the students' work, go to United Way of Marquette County.