Business as a Force for Good: MBA Students Support Hurricane Helene Victims Through Ethics Project
Marshall Montgomery (MBA’25) has always been driven by a sense of purpose. That mindset is what led him to serve in the U.S. Army for seven years and later attracted him to pursue an MBA at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business.
“As a Jesuit institution, the cura personalis concept interested me,” Montgomery said. “Not only does the program itself provide what you would expect from an MBA, but it goes above and beyond by providing a ‘why’ behind it.”
As Montgomery and his classmates brainstormed ideas for their Ethics Project, a semester-long group activity that challenges students to confront real-world challenges and “do good” for their community, Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction across the Southeast. The storm devastated parts of North Carolina – Montgomery’s home state and where he completed Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Appalachian State University.
“Places I had walked several months ago were absolutely flooded, both on Appalachian State’s campus, but also in a lot of the little towns in narrow valleys within the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains,” Montgomery said. “This came out of nowhere, and we found an immediate opportunity. We could actually put our money directly into addressing a real-world concern that, in my case, is directly related to where I’m from.”
The Ethics Project was created by Jason Brennan, Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor, as a way for students to tackle real-world issues. Supported by the Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics (GISME), student groups receive $1,000 in funding from private foundations and alumni and are tasked with creating something that enhances a community they’re trying to serve.
“We help students shape themselves into ethical leaders by granting them freedom and asking them to bear responsibility,” Brennan said. “They first deliberate about what is best to do, then act, and reflect on what the experience has taught them. While other business schools have students role-play hypothetical cases, we have students live through real cases.”
After seeing Hurricane Helene’s devastation in western North Carolina, Montgomery’s instinct was to propose a project that would help communities affected by the storm – an idea quickly embraced by his peers.
“We all saw the images of what this looked like – inundated roads, homes destroyed,” said Allan D’Souza (MBA’25), Montgomery’s groupmate and friend. “It was a no-brainer and it was very easy to build consensus the moment this project was proposed.”
Leveraging D’Souza’s background in the nonprofit sector and Montgomery’s connections in western North Carolina, their group began researching and brainstorming what would best meet the needs of impacted communities. Initially, the students planned to send care packages and personal hygiene kits, but their contacts on the ground informed them of a more pressing need.
“If you’ve ever been up to the mountains in North Carolina, similar to Virginia, it gets colder much sooner,” Montgomery said. “With the situation being a hurricane came through, a lot of people lost their houses, and it’s starting to get cold – cold weather gear and clothing was what was needed.”
The group decided to use their funding to purchase 35 fleece jackets and distribute them to those in need through the connections they made. Reflecting on the experience, D’Souza felt the Ethics Project was a rewarding exercise in teamwork and ethical thinking.
“We’re getting plenty of opportunities at Georgetown to hone those skills of giving back, being mindful of the underdog, and thinking about the entire community, not the top layer alone,” D’Souza said. “I’m sure this experience will translate to me being a better leader in the future.”
Montgomery felt a great sense of purpose in using the skills he has developed through the MBA program to do something good. On a larger scale, he hopes the small part his group’s project played in helping western North Carolina rebuild will inspire others to give back to a community he cares deeply about.
“It takes a lot of people every day trying to make good decisions and help other people,” Montgomery said. “Hopefully we’ve been able to do that here, and hopefully other people become aware of the situation in the region. If that’s accomplished, then this was impactful.”