The Origin Story of Student Programs

Danny Rosin shares how he helped start Student Programs — and offers tips for student volunteers getting involved today.

By Dena Salehipour, Student Programs Media Intern 

Operation Smile Student Programs started in high school detention.

You read that right — in detention. 

By his own admission, Danny Rosin was one of Norfolk Academy’s resident troublemakers back in his day, and he had gotten himself in quite a pickle. He had more demerits (a penalty for poor behavior) than he would ever be able to work off, and without them, he wouldn’t be able to graduate. So, he had to get creative. He and his friend, Charlie Kollmansperger, decided to start a service club, affectionately called The Happy Club, with a broad mission of making people happy. 

One of the Happy Club’s first initiatives was a fundraiser for the Joy Fund, providing Christmas gifts for children from underserved communities. Although the club had minimal organization, he said, they had heart and energy, qualities that allowed them to succeed.  

Through a mismatch clothing contest at Norfolk Academy, the Happy Clubbers were able to fundraise enough for all the children on their list — and in typical Danny Rosin fashion, the students ding-dong ditched the houses, leaving behind the presents. 

The Happy Club was noticed by a fellow student and friend Brigette Magee, who approached them with a proposal: to align their mission with that of Operation Smile. As the daughter of Operation Smile Co-Founders Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee, Brigette attended their first surgical program in the Philippines and saw firsthand the impact the organization had on the lives of children. Danny said the club didn’t need much convincing; the cause seemed important, and (with an inkling to his future career) the “Happy-Smile” branding was perfect. So that’s how the Happy Club merged with Operation Smile, and Operation Smile Student Programs was born. 

As Operation Smile celebrates 40 years of impact and dives into its Next Decade of Love and Leadership, youth empowerment remains at the heart of the organization — and is among the organization’s signature initiatives. Through Danny and Brigette’s friendship, hundreds of Operation Smile clubs have sprouted up in at least 40 countries and thousands of young people have made a direct impact on the lives of Operation Smile’s patients through activities such as fundraisers, service projects, translation services and more. 

The Early Days of Student Programs

When asked about the merger and Brigette’s role, Danny said: “She and I are very similar. We lead with heart. We’re emotional people. And we’re action-oriented and we have empathy and know how to bring people together. The youth group was started without Operation Smile, but Brigette became the reason Operation Smile and the Happy Clubs merged. She was able to really articulate to us why it was important to get mission-focused.” 

The Happy Club continued to raise funds through a range of creative fundraisers and rallied $2,500 for 10 kids in need; as each surgery can cost as little as $240, the Happy Club was proud of their impact. Seeing their dedication to the cause, Danny and a handful of students were invited to join the Operation Smile team on their second surgical program to the Philippines — a trip that would cement Danny’s philanthropic path. Danny recalled the impactful interactions he had with patients and their families, the sacrifices they had made to reach the medical site, and their gratitude.

Danny’s Continuation with Operation Smile at University 

On his first day as an undergrad at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC), he marched straight to the Campus Y, which oversaw student’s pursuits of social justice. Danny demanded to speak with the executive director about starting up an Operation Smile chapter. His passion and enthusiasm were so evident that he was asked to join the board of the Y as the freshman member at large. He later started a Happy Club there, involving the medical and dental schools and fundraising once again for Operation Smile’s cause. 

His optimism and empathy —with a healthy dose of rebellion — once again allowed the club to succeed and in his senior year, he was invited to attend an Operation Smile surgical program in Kenya, bringing some of the students from his chapter along. 

Danny’s Continuation with Operation Smile at University 

On his first day as an undergrad at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC), he marched straight to the Campus Y, which oversaw student’s pursuits of social justice. Danny demanded to speak with the executive director about starting up an Operation Smile chapter. His passion and enthusiasm were so evident that he was asked to join the board of the Y as the freshman member at large. He later started a Happy Club there, involving the medical and dental schools and fundraising once again for Operation Smile’s cause. 

His optimism and empathy —with a healthy dose of rebellion — once again allowed the club to succeed and in his senior year, he was invited to attend an Operation Smile surgical program in Kenya, bringing some of the students from his chapter along. 

Danny’s Critical Role in Student Programs Now

After graduating from UNC, Danny continued his involvement with Operation Smile, mentoring younger students and speaking at the organization’s International Student Leadership Conferences. In 2004, a nonprofit that Danny co-founded, Band Together, chose Operation Smile as its beneficiary, helping raise $45,000 for Operation Smile through a concert in Raleigh, N.C.

He was also able to combine his passion for philanthropy and marketing into creating Brand Fuel, a company he founded with Robert Fiveash, a founding member of the original Happy Club. Brand Fuel is a merchandising agency and a certified B Corporation, one of 5,000 among 300 million corporations that are rooted in giving back. Brand Fuel handles the Smile Shop, Operation Smile’s merchandising storefront, and helps generate donations and awareness through their branded products. Brand Fuel hopes to continue growing the Smile Shop within the coming years and increase its revenue to $100,000 a year. 

Danny’s Vision for the Future of Student Programs and His Advice

Danny envisions the future of Student Programs as going deeper rather than broader. He hopes to work with the Student Programs team, led by Brigette Magee Clifford, to focus on clubs that are making the most impact and help them expand by encouraging big, bold student student-led fundraisers. He recognizes the global vision and reach of Operation Smile and knows their impact is going to continue to grow.

“My experience in sales and marketing says that a typical business will lose 20 percent of its employees and 20 percent of its clients each year. So if you want to grow, you have to add more than 20 percent,” Danny said. “You have to have a leader, someone who is magnetic and educated around Operation Smile, and willing to invest their time and energy into the recruitment and retention of volunteers, doors and the coveted staff.”

He also urged chapters to focus on “delivering the fun” because when you make it easy and fun for people to get involved, you can generate the most funds and make the greatest impact. 

He also recommends that students think big and creatively, and reach out to Operation Smile if they need assistance in making their ideas come to life. 

Danny is the epitome of lifelong philanthropy, and although he contributes a lot of his accomplishments to the Magees, who believed in him and saw his leadership potential, his optimism and rebellious spirit prove that his heart was always in the right place.