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MBA’s from The University of Michigan Join in National "Food Fight" as Top Business Schools Take the Lead in Fighting Hunger.

Students from the business school at The University of Michigan will be participating in a friendly competition to collect the most food for the national food bank network, Second Harvest. Locally, Second Harvest network member Food Gatherers will be the beneficiary of the students’ efforts. The nation-wide competition includes twenty of the top 25 business schools in the country, and runs from November 1-12. The event is being coordinated by the University of Michigan Business School and is sponsored by the Quaker Oats Company. 

During the two weeks of competition students will bring in food items to their respective schools, who will weigh the food and hand it over to Second Harvest. As incentive, some professors are offering one-day immunity from difficult questions in class in exchange for donated food. Other schools are hosting benefit events such as concerts, with the proceeds going to the food drive. The school that collects the most amount of food will be given a monetary award to be donated to a charity of its’ choice, as well as the much coveted "Funky Pilgrim" Trophy. Winners will be announced by December 17, 1999. 

1997 marked the inaugural year for the annual MBA Food Fight. The response from students was tremendous, as over 70,000 pounds of food was collected from eighteen different schools. In 1998, over 167,000 pounds of food was collected from seventeen different schools. Honors were given in two categories: the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania) was distinguished as contributing the most amount of food per student and the most food overall (over 90,000 lbs).

The competition highlights an emphasis at many of the top business schools to create a better society through social responsibility. 

For further information on this story, please contact Renee Rhoten or Katherine Manchester of The University of Michigan Business School at lhrhoten@umich.edu or manchest@umich.edu.