University of South Alabama Mitchell College of Business students wrote and produced two informational videos for guests at the Ronald McDonald House in Mobile.

The students were enrolled in the “Employee Training and Development” class taught by Dr. Marjorie Icenogle, professor in the management department. The first video reviews check-in procedures and house rules. In the second video, students demonstrate cleaning and check-out procedures in an entertaining way.  In addition to the videos, the students also prepared a colorful laminated information sheet that provides staff members’ names and contact information, lists house rules and provides an area map and local places of interest.

“The students were excited about using their newly learned training skills for a worthwhile cause,” Icenogle said. “I am very proud of the videos and informational sheets these students created with limited resources and am confident the videos will be especially helpful due to the recent expansion of the Ronald McDonald House.”

Ronald McDonald House Executive Director Paul Giardina said, “We are so grateful to the students, to Dr. Icenogle and USA for this wonderful project. It is going to be so helpful to the families who stay with us, who are already going through so much due to their child’s hospitalization, to be able to view this video presentation instead of reading the information for themselves. Our goal is to help our guest families in any ways that we can so that they can focus on their child and this student project is helping us do just that.”

Ronald McDonald House staff members suggested the videos would allow families to watch the short informative programs in the comfort of their private rooms. Before the videos were available, staff presented a packet of materials and reviewed the rules and procedures with guests upon arrival. Frequently, guests were distracted due to their child’s illness. The students worked closely with staff at the facility to determine the videos’ content. The following staff members were instrumental in the preparation of the materials: Giardina; Al Tenhundfeld, former executive director; Elizabeth Calci, assistant director; Tamara Francis Perry, operations manager; Mary McAleer, marketing and fund development manager; Mel Armstrong administrative assistant; and, Angela Anderson, resident manager.

Ronald McDonald House
The Ronald McDonald House program provides a “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost. The Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest. Families are stronger when they are together, which helps in the healing process. By staying at a Ronald McDonald House, parents also can better communicate with their child’s medical team and keep up with complicated treatment plans when needed. They can also focus on the health of their child, rather than grocery shopping, cleaning or cooking meals.