Sales Class Donation Helps Young Hospital Patients

Pediatric patients at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington are enjoying the use of a new video game system thanks to the generosity of students from Illinois State University's Professional Sales Institute, part of the College of Business. 

As part of their class work, graduating seniors in Professor Jill Attaway's Advanced Selling and Negotiation course gain professional experience as sales representatives for Vector Marketing, the direct sales division of Cutco Cutlery Corporation.  During the spring 2009 semester students in the class chose to donate $5,000 in sales commissions to the Starlight Children's Foundation Midwest.  The money was then used to purchase a Fun Center, which includes a Nintendo Wii, for the pediatrics unit at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center.

The Fun Center's Wii system contains more than 30 games and is currently being used and enjoyed by young patients.  The system is portable and can be moved to different locations within the facility.  Hospital staff members say the system provides engaging activities that help to ease patient recovery.

 During the past eight years, Illinois State's Professional Sales Institute has partnered with Cutco Cutlery Corporation, a manufacturer and direct seller of high-end kitchen cutlery, to provide students with real-world experience as sales representatives.  As part of a philanthropic project, Cutco agreed to donate 30 percent of the class' sales commission to a selected non-profit organization.  The students chose to support the Starlight Children's Foundation Midwest which helps seriously ill children and their families cope with pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family programs. The foundation serves over 200,000 seriously ill children and their families each year with programs in 175 Midwest hospitals.