By helping to develop surveys and finding ways to reach out to the community safely, Cynthia Evans hopes she can be a part of the growth in her hometown of Chatsworth.
Recently Evans and several other Wright School of Business (WSOB) students found an opportunity to help build their community through the Chatsworth Downtown Development Authority (DDA).
The Chatsworth DDA attracts new businesses to Chatsworth while also encouraging businesses to renovate spaces and gather information from community members on changes they want to see. Its goal is to turn downtown Chatsworth into a bustling community hub with a focus on commerce.
The DDA recently reached out to the WSOB to see how Dalton State could get involved with its projects. This created an internship opportunity for many WSOB students.
“We are conducting two separate surveys to gather information, one from community members about what they would like to see change, and the other from business owners about what would help attract more business downtown,” Cortnee Young, lecturer of marketing and business communications, said. “Before administering the surveys, our student interns edited and revised them to be specifically geared to get the responses that will help the most with decision making.”
Evans, a senior graduating this semester with a degree in business management, is a native of Chatsworth and excited to be a part of the project. She feels Chatsworth has vast potential but needs guidance on how to expand its businesses.
“In the end, the number of responses exceeded our expectations, and I can’t wait to present the feedback and responses we gathered to the Chatsworth DDA in February,” Evans said.
Students working with the DDA engage in consulting projects beyond what they learn in the classroom. Aaron Buckner, a senior majoring in logistics and supply chain management, has been able to use the experience to network and create new connections in the community.
“My experience working on this project has been very educational and insightful,” Buckner said. “I made many new connections and could really see how the people of Chatsworth want their city to grow and change.”
Click here to find out more about the Wright School of Business and what it is doing to help students lead boldly.
