Kellie Kinsella

Until going to college, I had never truly understood the value of education.  Going to school was something that I knew had to do every day because that’s what you’re supposed to do when you’re a kid.  Right?  Throughout elementary school, junior high, and high school, I always took for granted the information that was taught or the experiences that were provided to me on a regular basis.   Going to college made me realize that receiving a quality education is not something that is a right, but rather a privilege. The opportunities that I am given at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign astound me with each day that I continue to be a student. 

The experiences that I have received for the past two years learning about interesting topics in the classroom, forcing myself to collaborate on group projects with people I barely know, and becoming active in my sorority, have been ones that could not be obtained anywhere else. 

Even something so trivial as living in a dorm room with people your own age has taught me how to take care of myself without my mom or dad telling me to finish my homework or how to separate my whites from my darks.  With each day that I am here, I feel more and more prepared for what’s to come in the real world.

However, getting the opportunity to study at a campus as phenomenal as this one would not be possible without the monetary support that I have received from Sodexo.  Financing my higher education in this economy has been quite a challenge.  I cannot express my gratitude to Sodexo enough for helping me to take full advantage of my educational privilege.  Not only are they helping to pay the bills, but the encouragement from an organization that shares the same values about fighting hunger in the world as I do, helps me to know that my goals and dreams are realistic. 

The more education that I can receive, the more equipped I will be to continue the hunger fight and start solving problems. Thank you to Sodexo for making my higher educational experience possible.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Kellie wrote this blog as part American Education Week, which emphasizes the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education. Kellie is attending the University of Illinois thanks in part to a STOP Hunger Scholarship from the Sodexo Foundation. She was selected because of the outstanding work she already has done to stop hunger. Read more about Kellie’s efforts to stop hunger.

Since the Marine Corps Marathon began in 1976, the race has been a symbol of endurance and hope. The course takes runners on a historic tour of our nation’s capitol, passing landmarks that speak to the bravery and sacrifice made by our armed forces in their continuing commitment to ensure America’s freedom.  One of the most inspirational of these monuments marks the race’s end: the Iwo Jima Memorial.

This famous statue, which honors Marine Corps members killed in battle, depicts an incident during World War II.  Five intrepid Marines and a Navy corpsman heroically raised an American flag on the small island of Iwo Jima, near Tokyo. The statue shows the men leaning into the task together, working as a team.

This kind of support and cooperation is everywhere you look at the Marine Corps Marathon, nicknamed “The People’s Marathon.” This year’s three-day event, October 23-25, is expected to draw about 30,000 runners in three races, the 26.2 mile marathon, a new 10K race, and the MCM Healthy Kids Fun Run.

During the race, as athletes push themselves past exhaustion, supporters gather along the routes to cheer them on.  Along with the many Marines who are present, these spectators inspire and support runners.  They encourage them to find and tap reserves of energy to reach the finish line.

For the second year in a row, Sodexo proudly serves as the official food service provider for the MCM, feeding more than 700 VIP's, and providing 30,000 bags filled with healthy snacks for the runners. In addition, Sodexo’s registered dietitian, Tina Reddington, talks about sensible nutrition and running at the MCM Health and Fitness Expo on Friday, October 23.  And finally, Sodexo also proudly sponsors the affiliated MCM Healthy Kids Fun Run, scheduled for Saturday, October 24.

News stories often show triumphant runners who have successfully completed their races. But for additional inspiration, I recommend coming to cheer on the littlest athletes at Saturday’s Healthy Kids Fun Run.  The race has grown to attract about 3,000 kids, ages 6-13.  They run in the one-mile event just for fun.  At the finish line, they get a t-shirt, a medal and snacks provided by Sodexo.

Last year, I remember one little girl in particular. She had physical challenges, but she was determined to finish the race. By the end, she had a whole crowd of Marines running alongside her cheering her on. At the finish line, her father hugged her, and then scooped her up onto his shoulders. I will never forget the look of triumph on that little girl’s face.

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During one of my recent morning jogs – it’s amazing the thinking that comes up during those – this question popped up: “Is Recognition an Art or a Science?”.  Obviously this relates to our current focus at Sodexo Motivation Solutions on developing solutions to support organizations in their reward and recognition needs. I was puzzled myself.  The business side of me wants it to be a Science so that we can try to master and provide such expertise to our clients. The other side of me though hopes it is an Art: it is not easy to recognize properly, but when it is done well, what an impact it can achieve.  Still there is no unique recipe to it… So if it is a Science, it has to be an Art also. The Dictionary provided some more insights: Science comes from the Latin for “knowledge” applied in a systematic practice. And Art “is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions”.

I was quite pleased with my compromising answer then to the question: it is both.  But that felt too easy.  The next day I challenged our whole Motivation Solutions team with the question.  The tally of answers was eloquent: we are very accommodating!  13 out of 17 answers felt it is both an Art and a Science; and the other 4 felt it is more an Art.

Some words stood out from the responses.

For the Art: Implementing a “culture of recognition is an art”; it “feeds the needs of the soul” and “it’s meaning is unique to the recipient”; While “there is no unique formula that works every time on every one”, “good managers know instinctively” how to recognize.

For the Science: “true recognition should be based more on fact than emotion”, “be comprehensive and consistent”; it “fulfills our human need for validation” and targets how we “respond to positive recognition”.

This may sum it all: it requires “balance”.

In closing, I’d like hereby to “recognize” our team for all their excellent input, and welcome your comments!

Desiree de la Torre, MPH

I am earning my Masters in Business Administration from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in Baltimore, Maryland. Like other students, I’m very aware of the fact that the economy has had a big impact on business and that many of us are hoping that there is a place in the business world for us when we graduate. But, we’re also concerned about the kind of company we work for. Even in this economy – maybe even more so in this economy – it’s important to me that the company I work for have concern for its employees and ethics. The situation right now, with a lot of companies going under and having so many business issues, seems to be an underlying problem of ethics. A lot of companies are suddenly talking about their codes of ethics, but they seem reactive. I would hope they would have been doing these things all along.

So, to see a company that has focused all along on codes of conduct is appealing.

I recently went to hear a speech by George Chavel, Sodexo’s CEO. He was speaking as part of the Carey Business School Leaders & Legends lecture series.

While I’m earning my Masters, I’m working with Johns Hopkins Health System to increase access to care for some of Baltimore’s poorest residents. Originally, I wanted to become a physician and I was interested in public health. I realized that the research I was intending to do wasn’t quick enough for me and that I wanted to make a difference much more quickly. That led to a hospital management fellowship with the Johns Hopkins Health System.

I was interested in hearing what Mr. Chavel would have to say about how a big company like Sodexo was handling the kinds of issues that concern me. I feel that more companies are taking an ethical concern in the environment and health care and it’s great to hear that large companies, like Sodexo, are doing that.

We students do have a bit of cynicism about promises from big companies. At the Cary Business School, we’re taught that you’re concerned not only with yourself, but also concerned for the world around you. For big companies not to be concerned about how their actions affect other things, concerns young people in business schools. That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed the speech.

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Earlier this month was the anniversary of September 11, a day that taught America, among so many lessons, the importance of preparedness. In 2003, the government partnered with the National Advertising Council to declare September as National Preparedness Month. The month focuses on educating Americans about the importance of being prepared for and responding to emergencies, including national disasters and potential terrorist attacks. The push to be prepared has even reached the Girl Scouts, with the announcement this month of a new Preparedness Patch developed with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. To earn the patch, the girls must identify and prepare for potential emergencies, learn about local alerts and warning systems, and engage in community service

In the business world, we have to be prepared for the same emergencies that the Girl Scouts are busy learning about in earning their patch, but for those of us charged with an organization’s communications, there is much more that can pose a threat as well. For the kind of threat that poses the risk of large-scale damage, such as a natural disaster or terrorism, businesses need to model the preparation urged by the government: have emergency supplies on hand, have an evacuation plan, rehearse and train for the worst eventuality, and have communications in place that allow for frequent and accurate updates. The American Red Cross calls it, “Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed.”

In a business, executives may find themselves having to respond to an outbreak of the H1N1 virus. Executives may also have to respond to violence in the workplace; injury posed by a safety violation; or crime. There also are the threats to reputation, whether they be litigation, negative union activity, or activist campaigns, riots or demonstrations.

For some of these threats, the best defense often is avoidance. Just as you prepare best for some physical threats by avoiding situations that can put you in danger, for the workplace, the best preventive is having protocols in place that proactively deal with situations that can lead to illness, violence, injury or crime. And even in the threats to reputation, avoidance is a good strategy – in other words, avoid situations that call your integrity into question.

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