Student-run concession adds to Rustlers’ experience

The Concession Management Board (CMB) is the latest student-led initiative run by the college’s first and second-year business students. The CMB serves hot and cold meals, and beverages for spectators during athletic games and events.

The CMB is run by general business students Christi Hergott and Danae Sawtell, and business accounting major students Danon Johnson, Hayden Howrie and Kendra Sawtell.

In order to maintain a consistent and successful operation, Hergott explained each of the members have been tasked to charge a department within the operation. Howrie acts as vice president and volunteer coordinator; Danae acts as secretary and oversees cash handling and till management; Johnson acts as treasurer and oversees all the financial management; and Kendra acts as sponsorship and communications coordinator.

“Running the concession gives us (students) the opportunity to get a look behind the scenes of an operation. We get the real life, hands-on experience of running a business in an environment we are familiar with,” says Hergott, president and food coordinator of the CMB.

The students also have signed agreements to deliver some specific revenue targets by the end of the academic year. The CMB is considered a partner with the Rustlers and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lakeland’s athletics department. 

“Getting students to run the concession was a good first step in our efforts to get a right fit for a students’ managed enterprise. It so happened that we found a very willing partner in Rustlers Athletics too. Alan Rogan, director of Rustlers Athletics, was instrumental in getting this off the ground. The support from the other athletics staff is worth noting too,” says Ben Acquaye, chair of Lakeland’s School of Business.

For several years, the college’s business department explored suitable opportunities for students to have an actual experience of running a business on campus. Hergott explained, “We did not have any formal selection as to who was going to be the president, vice, secretary, etc. We more so held a few meetings and realized that we needed to select these positions before signing our Memorandum of Understanding with athletics.”

The formation of positions and departments within the CMB were created after each of the students’ personality and character traits were reviewed. Each position was filled firstly on a volunteer basis and secondly by a vote.

Hergott added, the student-led initiative will likely continue next year with a new group of students with possibly larger, more complex goals.

The business department will be fully briefed about the efforts of the CMB later this year. The department is looking forward to learning from the students’ experiences and considering ways to enhance this experience. Acquaye added, “Going forward, we want to recognize what students do at the CMB academically. Projects and related academic work will be tied to CMB activities.”