Texas Tech University

Professor Honored for Service to South Plains

April Chavez

Dr. McDonald

Bob McDonaldDr. Bob McDonald, a professor in the Marketing and Supply Chain Management area in the Rawls College of Business, will be honored during the Volunteer Center of Lubbock's 22nd Annual Cornucopia Luncheon on November 6, 2018.

Established in 1990, the Volunteer Center of Lubbock aims to create an engaged community by cultivating volunteers and growing leaders. The organization works specifically to connect volunteers with over 100 nonprofit organizations throughout the community.

McDonald is set to receive the "Get Involved" award, which recognizes individuals who have impacted the South Plains through volunteering or service.

"Dr. Mc Donald has gone above and beyond by making his classroom lessons count for something more than just a grade," said nominator Jessica Carrillo, Director of Enrollment Management and Operations for the Graduate and Professional Programs at the Rawls College of Business. "Each semester he embeds service learning, which links civic engagement, learning outcomes, and service into his personal selling courses by challenging his students to each raise $300 for a local nonprofit organization."

McDonald believes that his students learn selling by actually applying what they are learning in the classroom to their fundraising efforts. Since 2015, McDonald's students have raised approximately $80,000 for Sondra's Song, a local organization that helps kids transition out of foster care into independent living. Prior to 2015, his classes raised more than $60,000 for various local nonprofit organizations.

"We have incredible young women and men at the Rawls College of Business," said McDonald. "The service learning pedagogy is a wonderful tool to enable them to discover what they are capable of accomplishing."

McDonald has been using service learning components in his courses since 2004, shortly after being exposed to the concept through Dr. Debbie Laverie, also a professor in the Marketing and Supply Chain Management area in the Rawls College of Business.

McDonald encourages others to explore service learning through Texas Tech's Teaching Learning & Professional Development Center (TLPDC).

"The basic idea is that students learn the course material in part by applying it in service to their community," said McDonald. "A key component of service learning is reflection. When students take the time to reflect on their activities, it helps close the loop in the learning process and solidifies the learning."

McDonald hopes that he can help students develop a lifelong commitment to serve their communities.

"This is our home, these are our neighbors," said McDonald. "We need to look out for each other and take care of one another."

To learn more about the "Get Involved" award or the Volunteer Center of Lubbock you can visit their website