Dr. Daryl Green and Noriko Chapman

LMU MBA STUDENT AND PROFESSOR TEAM-UP ON BOOK TO HELP DISABLED WORKERS

August 2, 2011 - Harrogate, Tennessee — It started as a challenge from a Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) business professor to his students. The project became so much more than just another assignment for one student. Ultimately, the project resulted in help for disabled workers in Blount County, Tenn. and a book collaboration for between the professor and student.

“I put out a challenge to all of my Master of Business Administration (MBA) students to assist local organizations using their course tools,” said Dr. Daryl Green, adjunct professor at LMU. He hoped some of his students would publish a book based on their research.

MBA student Noriko Chapman rose to the occasion.

For her project she decided to help Blount County’s Tennessee Rehabilitation Center (BCTRC), a vocational rehabilitation program serving workers suffering from all types of disabilities, including emotional and physical. Those workers produce goods that also supply DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee, an automotive parts manufacturer in Maryville – where Chapman works as a supervisor.

Chapman, who is a cancer survivor, felt a personal connection to the disabled workers trying to overcome their problems.

“I was inspired by them,” said Chapman, who moved with her family from Japan to America 24 years ago. “I got really emotionally involved…seeing these people trying to get better. It became my own personal contribution to that organization.”

Her goal working with the organization was to improve their quality performance. “The better the quality, the better that organization works,” said Chapman. “For me, the client with a disability can support themselves without relying on public aid.”

After Chapman finished giving her final presentation, Dr. Green approached her about publishing a book.
“He recommended I add my personal story to the project to make it more interesting,” said Chapman. “To make it more about my life story, and less of a research paper.” Chapman wanted to explore how precious life is and how there are things MBA students can do to help their community.

The book, “Second Chance: An In-depth Case Study on Nonprofit Organization’s Resource Allocation and Operational Optimization,” was written by Chapman with contributions from Green. It is available as a paperback on Amazon.com and as an e-book.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the BCTRC, and the federal government will match the donation by 70 percent.

After Chapman went through cancer treatment, she didn’t think she could stay in the MBA program. But her other business professors at the time, Dr. Michael Dilllon and Dr. Dave Hinkes, convinced her to stick with it.

“They helped me build confidence,” she said. “LMU professors do care about their students. They want to see their students succeed, even exceed their expectations.”

Dr. Jack McCann, dean of the School of Business, said this is a great example of collaboration in the program. “Learning should be a collaborative effort between professor and student,” said McCann. “This book is a result of such an effort at the highest level between Dr. Green and Mrs. Chapman during their time together in the program. This is one example of the great work that our MBA program faculty and students are doing.”

“This was a great opportunity to return what I received,” said Chapman about the book. “I wanted to help somebody who went through more suffering than I did.”

Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is located in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or e-mail at admissions@lmunet.edu.

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