Free ice cream and Business ethics

By Jenan Diab

For those of you whose mouth waters at the sight or mention of ice cream, brace yourselves.

Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, makes his way to the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium tonight.

Greenfield will give students his advice through “A Night of Social Responsibility, Radical Business Philosophy and Free Ice Cream.”

The free ice cream servings are for the first 400 people to attend.

Greenfield and Ben Cohen built a $160-million ice cream company as a result of their good business etiquette.

“[Ben and Jerry] have a really great way of looking at [business],” said Brooke Beyers, Campus Activities Board speakers coordinator. “Put the person before business.”

Junior accounting major Angelique Johnson, who is studying Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Inc. in an accounting class, agreed.

“They were just two friends who put their money together,” she said. “The business didn’t mess up their friendship, even though they made millions.”

Senior accounting major Rosana Auk thinks Greenfield’s presentation will be great for business students.

“I think it’s a great way to attract students to learn about entrepreneurial ideas,” Auk said. “I think the students will enjoy it.”

Beyers added that she encourages students to offer CAB input and suggestions.

“CAB’s mission this year is really all about getting our name out,” she said in a previous interview. “We want to get students involved and tell us what they want us to do and bring to campus. I think our bad rep [for not bringing any big events] is not fair.”

“I don’t understand, because last year we held a forum for the students to tell us what to do, and no one came.”

The organization likes to focus on diversity and provide acts that will appeal to a variety of students on campus, Beyers said.

The CAB Speaker Committee also helps in the decision process. The group only had a mere handful of students last year, and Beyers hopes that will change this semester.

Other events the committee will sponsor include Aneesa from MTV’s “Real World: Chicago” on Nov. 12, and Jasmine Guy from the late-1980s TV show, “A Different World,” on March 25, 2003.