The NAPM membership has been particularly helpful in providing assistance to students here at Baylor University.

First, I teach a class in Services Management. The course is offered as part of the Operations Management major, but is also open to other students as an elective. As a part of that class, I require groups of students to analyze a service organization or business and present to the class an analysis of the organization and perhaps make suggestions for improvements. This past semester, I chose the City of Waco. The students visited particular city departments that volunteered to participate in the project. Contacts through NAPM, such as Gina Eckhardt, proved invaluable in getting the city departments actively involved in the project.

Second, students are always very welcome at the monthly NAPM meetings. The organization goes out of its way to make sure the students are invited and feel welcome. In addition it often provides free or subsidized meals to the students to lessen the financial burden on them. I believe the students really benefit from hearing the speakers at the meetings and from the contacts they are able to make.

Finally, through NAPM I have made contacts with some organizations and businesses which may be able to provide internship opportunities for Baylor students. Elton Brock has been particularly helpful in finding contacts who might be interested in this possibility.