Foreign businesses to receive funding from Moon Dance
Students danced the night away at the True Aggie Moon Dance Friday night, held by a group of business students in order to raise money for the Micro Business Loan.
Students paid $3 to get into the dance, and raffles were done during the dance for prizes. Pictures were taken on a full moon backdrop and glow sticks were sold to help raise money as well.
Students in the MHR 3110 class are required to do a final project where they raise money for the Micro Business Loan, said Justin Nesbit, a student whose group decided to hold the dance for students, where the proceeds go toward the Micro Business Loan fund.
The Micro Business Loan is a fund of money that will be used to give to small South American businesses that don’t have the capital to start by themselves, Nesbit said. The business students in the Study Abroad program will go to South America and evaluate which businesses show potential for success and allot the needed money to them, he said.
The group of business students went to local businesses for sponsors, who donated gift certificates, money and other services for the cause, Nesbit said. The group partnered with True Aggie Night representatives, who gave support and resources, Nesbit said.
Nesbit said the Micro Loan project has been done for quite a few years and will continue to be done in the future. A dance has been done in the past for it, but no one has ever partnered with True Aggie Night, Nesbit said.
“When I taught English in China, I saw people in the third-world country condition,” said Tierra Fackrell, fundraiser group member. “A lot of people don’t know how to help those people, but this dance is a big step in trying to help them build their lives up.”
Josh Jones said the True Aggie dance was a good idea. It was fun and, even better, he said, it was for a charitable cause.
Nesbit said it goes to show the depth of USU students with their willingness to give so readily to a charitable cause.
“When I lived in Brazil, I saw businesses similar to those that will be helped by this Micro Loan,” Nesbit said. “It’s been fun to organize and set up this project especially because I know that it will really help those people in need of it.
“It’s amazing to see that something so small can have such a great impact on people’s lives.”
-monica.swapp@aggiemail.usu.edu