Two of UTRGV Lecturer I Jack White’s social work classes provided the Brownsville Animal Defense (BAD) with ways to improve its visibility and raise funds as part of a course project.
The classes who advised the nonprofit are Organizational Development and Advanced Community Planning. Both are taken concurrently by social work students who are taking classes for their master’s degree. Ten students are enrolled in the classes.
The 10 UTRGV students chose BAD as the organization they wanted to help and gave the consultation through a presentation for a class requirement. It is a volunteer dog rescue organization serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley, according to its website.
“We are all actually animal lovers, and we started to talk about dogs in the street … so that’s how we got that Brownsville Animal Defense,” said Judith Rodriguez, a part-time social work student working on her master’s degree and the primary organizer of the presentation.
White said it is the first time such a project has been done at the end of the semester by his class.
“So, we’re excited about it because we’d like to continue to use these classes to both learn and engage the community, and provide a product such as management consulting,” he said.
As part of the project, the UTRGV students provided a personalized presentation for Brownsville Animal Defense. BAD hopes the consultation will help improve its ability to help animals.
A seven-page report analyzing the nonprofit’s structure and strategies for improving 10 areas was emailed to board President Tessie Sarmiento. The topics discussed include improving social media presence, a list of resources they could contact for collaboration and ways they could obtain grants for funding. The class hopes the organization will consider its recommendations.
The organization is comprised of five other board members and four volunteers.
White and students Rodriguez, Alejandra Peña, Bridget Ebaseh-Onofa, Clara Rodriguez, Horacio Martinez, Iliana Fernandez, Ivonne Cervantes, Jorge Rodriguez, McKensey Samsen and Oscar Peraza invited Sarmiento to one of their classes for a consultation.
The students contacted the nonprofit twice during the class session and during their free time in order to understand BAD’s goals and current resources. Last Thursday, Sarmiento attended one of the classes’ lectures and viewed their presentation. Both the nonprofit and students hope to have a follow-up meeting soon.
Sarmiento said BAD began due to a need of additional help for defenseless animals.
“It provides spaying, neutering, counseling. It provides educational [school] presentations,” she said.
BAD hopes to recruit volunteers.
Individuals interested in helping may contact Sarmiento at 466-0067 or visit its website at http://www.brownsvilleanimaldefense.org.
The organization is located at 1225 N. Expy. 77/83, Suite 150A in Brownsville.
