As the semester winds down and the holiday season approaches, FIU Business students in an organization and management course are once again turning classroom lessons into compassion.
For the sixth consecutive year, students enrolled in a management course taught by Donald Roomes, teaching professor of international business, partnered with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida to raise funds for a child with a critical illness. This fall, their efforts focused on Franklin, a child with Down syndrome and leukemia whose wish is to visit Disney World.
The Make-A-Wish project has become an annual tradition in Roomes’ course, challenging students to apply leadership, teamwork and organizational skills to a real-world cause with real stakes. Since the initiative began in 2020, students in the class have raised more than $63,000 to help grant wishes for children and families across South Florida.
This semester, students were divided into small teams and tasked with collectively raising at least $5,000, the average cost of a wish, by the end of the term. Each group developed its own fundraising strategy, transforming lectures on management and leadership into action and turning a semester-long assignment into a moment of hope for one family.
Elizabeth Lanza raising funds for Franklin's wish.
“There wasn’t much direction given, which made it feel more real,” said Elizabeth Lanza, a student in the course. “It was our responsibility to figure out how we were going to raise the money and who we needed to reach.”
Lanza worked with student organizations on campus, including ALPFA, to table at meetings and make presentations about Franklin’s story. Those efforts generated a significant portion of her group’s donations.
“When I first read about Franklin, I almost teared up,” Lanza said. “I’m the oldest of four siblings, so seeing someone so young go through so much really hit close to home.”
Other students relied on a mix of grassroots outreach, tabling and in-person engagement. Finance student Nicolas Cuadra said his group had initially planned to host a benefit concert, but logistical challenges forced them to pivot late in the semester.
“When that fell through, we had to scramble and figure something else out,” Cuadra said. “We ended up going to a homecoming tailgate and setting up on campus with flyers, a photo of Franklin and a QR code for donations.”
The response, he said, was overwhelming.
“People were so moved by Franklin’s story that they didn’t even want the cookies we were offering,” Cuadra said. “They just wanted to help.”
Beyond fundraising, the project is designed to reinforce key course concepts. Students are tasked with identifying leadership styles, delegating responsibilities and managing timelines, all while working toward a shared goal.
“You’re managing yourself, your team and your stakeholders all at once,” Lanza said. “It really brought everything we learned in class to life.”
The class ultimately exceeded its goal, raising more than $5,000 to support Franklin’s wish.
For many, the experience left a lasting impact beyond the classroom.
“This project reminded me how powerful it is when people come together for something bigger than themselves,” Cuadra said. “It’s something I’ll carry with me long after this class ends.”