Master’s Research

March 10, 2020

Students in the MBA program and the Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies programs participate in research projects as part of their coursework. Here are some highlights from 2019!

MBA Capstone Projects: 2019

MBA students design a comprehensive business plan for their Capstone projects. All the 2019 graduates chose a nonprofit organization as a client to support with a business plan. The projects included:

Global Business as Missions

  • Loretta Lee: Launching a new organization from Hong Kong to recruit Chinese Christians to pursue Bible translation work
  • Joey Schools: Starting a new business in India for survivors of trafficking
  • Catherine Beard: Opening a new $2 million retreat center for churches in Romania

Community Organizations in the U.S.

  • Stephanie McSpadden and Aaron Fusselman: Launching a business hub for Centro Hispano and the Latino community in Knoxville
  • Paige Noonan: Bringing business structure to a nonprofit in Des Moines that provides a food pantry, ESL courses, clothing closet, and medical services
  • Tom Rich: Creation of Missional Metrics for Central Church (Sioux City, South Dakota)
  • Matt Emery: Business plan for Outreach Indiana for a new multi-site mobile ministry
  • Kat Blanco: Launching new nonprofit in Florida to provide online education for children with extended hospital stays
  • Derek Faircloth: Development of measures and reporting for Centro Hispano to serve the Latino community in Knoxville
  • Mason Lambert: Establishing a restaurant in Kentucky for the purpose of supporting the refugee community

 

Master of Arts, Intercultural Studies Research

  • Adam K. Jones is researching and developing a ministry to refugee families in Louisville, Kentucky, in cooperation with Southeast Christian Church.
  • Jonathan Haskell, director of YOKE Ministries, is researching and developing a ministry that reaches families of at-risk children, with a view to enhancing youth development in urban Knoxville neighborhoods by educating and encouraging healthy family relationship development.
  • A student who cannot be named because of the sensitive location where he serves is developing an oral translation of the Bible for the language group where he is working.
  • Kelsey Getzin researched and developed a set of standards for mission agency use of video in donor communications.
  • Gallagher Cardona researched and developed a non-profit organization which ministers to men who are recently released from incarceration, with the goal to restore generational family relationships and mentor these men in a journey closer to God.
  • Jason Cline researched and launched a ministry (His Name is Aaron) with the goal to provide support for fathers and their families during grief due to infant loss.