IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Students at the University of Iowa took a class project and turned it into a donation.
Several weeks ago, Eli Anderson and several of his classmates started a business selling custom mugs. Since then, the profits have turned into hundreds of dollars in donations to UIHC.
“Our team brought in $15 to start. Our professor brought the other 5,” he told TV-9. “We’ve raised about $1,700 so far, and we’re donating about $200 to Stead Family Children’s Hospital.”
And they are not the only ones.
Another group, selling tote bags, beachwear and key chains, returned a percentage of their profits.
“Stead Hospital is known as one of the biggest things here. They definitely need support for all the kids and families that go there,” said Celia Hernandez.
This is not a class requirement, let alone a specific project.
“Every week they have to report what they sold, how much they cost, their profit margins,” says Professor Bob Walker. “They can do whatever they want with it. It’s their money, they’ve worked hard for it.”
He said the idea was first thought of by some students last year and has since become a no-brainer for many other students involved.
“The first time you said that, it restored my faith in humanity. They have a lot of other things to do with their money, so they decided to give the money to Stead and the children’s hospital, so it really touched me,” Walker said.
In just one semester, the students gave a total of $4,000 last fall.
The Hernandez Group business can be found here. The Anderson Group is also developing an Etsy store under the business name UniCups.
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