Maryland Comptroller Recognizes Washington Adventist University Business Students

The Comptroller of Maryland recently recognized Washington Adventist University (WAU) business students for their creative solutions to helping local small businesses thrive. The students recently earned third place in the national Enactus Competition, which awards teams with the most creative solutions to resolving community issues.

Story by WAU Communication Staff

Comptroller of Maryland Peter Franchot and other elected officials recognized and celebrared the WAU students’ efforts, along with Weymouth Spence, WAU president; Cheryl Harris Kisunzu, provost; and Patrick Farley, executive vice president of finance.

The 38 students volunteered more than 3,700 hours during the year, serving the Takoma Park community. Their projects ranged from offering local small businesses a symposium on branding, strategic marketing and social media to helping the struggling Rainbow Coin Laundry become profitable by rebranding the business, painting and cleaning the store, and developing an after-school tutoring program for the children of customers, which further boosted business success. A $1,500 grant from the Sam’s Club “Step Up for Small Business” program helped fund the student-initiated small business improvements at the laundry and throughout the Long Branch area of Takoma Park.

Nok Kim, owner of Rainbow Coin Laundry, will receive a ceremonial check and a plaque from Sam’s Club, along with a Proclamation from Comptroller Franchot, recognizing Kim for his efforts in helping the community. Kim has owned the business for 10 years, and has worked to overcome a series of challenges that occurred when he dropped the laundry from its parent franchise.

The Washington Adventist University Enactus team is part of an international non-profit organization that brings student, academic and business leaders together to develop projects that improve the quality of life for people in need through the application of business strategies. Nationwide there are 518 Enactus teams with more than 17,000 students, working on more than 2,000 community team projects.

For more information about the Washington Adventist University Enactus team and its projects, contact Professor Kimberly S. Pichot, Chair of the Department of Business and Communication, at kspichot@wau.edu or 301-891-4034.

Feature photo: Weymouth Spence; Peter V. R. Franchot, Maryland Comptroller; and other university and community leaders were present to recognize owner Nok Kim with a plaque for the efforts he and his wife, with assistance from WAU's Enactus Club business students, have done to improve the laundry in Takoma Park.