DR: Meet the Press

The press release on our trip to the Dominican Republic can be seen here. The text is below.

And check back in to the blog over the next days for more of the inside scoop on the trip!

Megan Moyer, SMBA 2010

The College of Business Administration at San Diego State University announced today the next phase of a joint endeavor with the San Diego Padres in the ongoing effort to provide new economic opportunities for people living near the Padres Dominican Republic Baseball Park in the city of Najayo.

Visiting the Dominican Republic

Thirty-eight SDSU students enrolled in the university’s Sports Business MBA program returned this month from the Dominican Republic where they studied in the Padres’ state-of-the-art player development complex.

During their 10-day stay, they interviewed community members and studied the socio-economic climate of the region with the intent of investing $20,000 in new economically viable entrepreneurial ventures. The students are developing four comprehensive business plans for the proposed ventures.

First-ever venture into microfinance

It is the first time ever that an American university and a major league sports team have collaborated to provide microfinance capital and other incentives designed to stimulate economic growth in an international setting.  

“There’s been more of an emphasis on corporate social responsibility by Major League Baseball in the Dominican Republic and the Padres have stepped out front with its support of this unique educational partnership,” said John Francis, the SDSU management professor and co-creator of the program.

“This project provides an enriching real-world educational experience for SDSU students, but it also offers tangible economic benefits for a community in dire need.”

Benefit to students

According to Scott Minto, director of the SDSU Sports Business MBA program, students will not only learn new skills, but how sports organizations can give back to the communities they work with.

“The skills developed by this project in Najayo are applicable to other segments of the increasingly global sports industry,” Minto said. “The class has the opportunity to learn firsthand how the power of sport can help organizations like the Padres break down political, economic and cultural barriers to make a positive impact on an international level.”