Bucknell Students Help Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau Complete B Impact Assessment
Bucknell seniors presented a national B Impact Assessment to the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau in Lewisburg, yielding a qualifying score if nonprofits were eligible for certification.
Lewisburg — The Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau partnered with Bucknell University’s Responsible Management course to evaluate the bureau’s social impact and complete a national B Impact Assessment for the organization that markets tourism across Union, Snyder and Northumberland counties.
Senior business majors helped the bureau complete a national B Impact Assessment. Professor Vanessa Hill says Bucknell’s Responsible Management course connects students with local organizations for hands-on analysis. The project was presented to bureau staff at the end of the semester as part of the course requirements.
The student team that presented the final project included Charlene Bui, Jossette Sullivan, Stephanie Ciardiello and Amar Tahirovik. SRVVB staff on hand included Sharon Wagner, SRVVB Operations Director, and Judy Machesic, SRVVB Interim Director. The student team presented their final project to the SRVVB at the conclusion of their Responsible Management course at Bucknell University. Pictured (L to R) are Sharon Wagner, SRVVB Operations Director; Charlene Bui, Jossette Sullivan, Stephanie Ciardiello, Amar Tahirovik and Judy Machesic, SRVVB Interim Director.
The assessment produced a conditional result for the bureau: “The bureau received a qualifying score if nonprofits were eligible for certification.” The findings do not assert that the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau pursued or obtained formal B Corp certification; the phrasing indicates the score would meet certification thresholds only under the rules that apply to eligible organizations.
The partnership fits within Bucknell’s broader community-engagement framework, which coordinates student, faculty and staff work with local organizations in the Central Susquehanna Valley. Bucknell programs and course structures funnel experiential projects into regional partners in Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties, creating opportunities for internships, community-based research and semester-long engagements such as this Responsible Management project.
The Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau is based at 2733 State Route 45, Milton, PA 17847 and operates promotional programs including the SRV Podcast and the SRV Gravel Adventure Field Guide. Visitor’s Bureau Interim Director Judy Machesic says tourism leaders want to strengthen ethics, transparency, and environmental responsibility, signaling that the bureau may use the assessment’s results to inform policy and operational changes in the months ahead.
Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?
Submit a Tip
