FIU Business students in an organization and management course taught by Donald Roomes, teaching professor of international business, raised more than $5,000 this fall to help grant a Make-A-Wish recipient’s dream of having an emotional support puppy.
This year, the students fundraised for Wish Kid Gaby, an 11-year-old girl from Ecuador diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia type B. Gaby, who is currently receiving treatment at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, desperately wishes for an emotional support puppy to help her through her fight.
The students were divided into eight teams and tasked with raising at least $625 per group by the end of the semester to reach their $5,000 class goal, the average cost of a wish at Make-A-Wish Southern Florida.
Since 2020, Roomes has partnered with Erin Watson, a volunteer for Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, to bring the Wishmakers on Campus program to FIU. This program is designed for college organizations and student groups to help grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses. Roomes’ management course has raised over $50,000 since its inception.
Make-A-Wish campaign for Gaby.
“It has been an absolute pleasure helping professor Roomes lead this initiative over the last 5 years,” said Watson. “Every semester, I am in awe of how all the students come together and exceed their goal. I am so incredibly thankful for their commitment to helping make life-changing wishes come true.”
The social change project is integrated into Roomes’ management course driving students to apply their skills throughout the fundraising campaign.
“What you learn throughout the class—how to raise the money, who is in each role, like the leader, social media—it was a mix of everything we learned,” said Fabianna Alcantara, a sophomore finance major.
Alcantara’s group hosted a bake sale at the Graham Center and was surprised by the response.
“So many students were so moved by Gaby’s story that they didn’t even want baked goods for their donations,” Alcantara said. “What put us over our goal was the power of social media.”
Her group leveraged networking strategies to reach their target.
“We noticed that networking was a really important part of fundraising,” Alcantara said. “We used social media and posted the donation link with a poster we designed on Instagram. Many friends and family members donated, and they shared our link with others.”
For finance junior Sebastian Borges, Gaby’s diagnosis hit close to home, as he had lost a close family member to cancer. He welcomed the chance to give back while applying what he learned in the course.
“We had a lesson that emphasized the value of connections and how speaking to someone face-to-face creates less of a communication barrier than texting or speaking over the phone,” Borges said.
Maria Paula Ibanez, a sophomore marketing major, also felt a personal connection to Gaby.
“When I found out that Gaby is from Ecuador, the same country I come from, I felt an instant connection and understanding,” Ibanez said. “The chance to support someone from my own roots gave me extra motivation to step up and take the lead on this project for my group.”
Thanks to their combined efforts, the students exceeded their $5,020 goal. They now await news of when Gaby will receive her new puppy.