Pictured above (left to right): Coleman Rich, Raghu Tadepalli , Bud Warner Betty Garrison, Jason Norris, Aswani Volety, Sharon Hodge, Tim Norvell, Jeff Stein.
Jason Norris (Triad Goodwill) & Aswani Volety (Elon University)
What is the Cornerstone Award?
The term “cornerstone” refers to the first stone set in construction. It is important because the cornerstone sets the placement for an entire structure. Each year this Cornerstone Award is presented to an organization that has shown outstanding support of Triad Goodwill’s mission, vision, values, programs, and services. This year’s winner is Elon University.
Elon University’s Impact
Goodwill began partnering with Elon’s Human Service Department four years ago to host interns and volunteers in the Burlington Career Center. Every semester since we have worked with bright, engaged students who have provided hours and hours of service to support our work helping people train for and find employment.
In the fall of 2020, our partnership with Elon was elevated to another level when we approached an MBA marketing class about working with us to develop a community needs assessments for Alamance County and understand the dynamics of student and veteran recruitment challenges. They took on the semester-long projects that collected and analyzed data, and cumulated in student presentations and recommendations. The project was so successful for both students and Goodwill, it was repeated in the spring with a group of marketing undergraduates who evaluated, through intensive research, how Goodwill could best serve the community. Student research and surveys conducted with retail employers will inform Goodwill’s internal retail training strategies that will improve our efficiency and prepare employees for success in the long term.
Elon is deeply invested in their community and Goodwill has grown stronger through a very difficult couple of years with them by our side. Elon University is a model for others and we couldn’t be more grateful for their partnership!
