Features

Entrepreneurs in Social Value Creation

by Megan McNerney

 

Dean Anand implemented the Social Value Creating initiative for the Robert H. Smith School of Business not very long ago. Have you followed the school’s efforts in sustainability? Did you know about all of the Green projects taking place on the UMD campus? The Green roof on Cumberland Hall, for example? If this has been your passion and you have more budding ideas for clean energy here on campus, put your skills to excellent use and apply to work with the Ashoka Changemaker Campus Program this year. As I found this a really exciting an innovative opportunity, I am merely passing on the information regarding this program.
We are looking for six to ten students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in all majors to join in a one-year, pioneering initiative designed to deeply embed social entrepreneurship across campus, and to establish the standards that will enable other universities to follow our lead.

As part of the program, you will:

* Design, develop and execute new solutions to building a community of students, faculty and staff who want to transform the world. Each year, you determine what we do!
* Receive coaching from the program’s Executive Director and Ashoka staff, and access to some of today’s leading social entrepreneurs
* Participate in Ashoka’s Changemaker Campus Summit in Washington, DC in February, where you’ll learn from experts and practitioners in the field and network with other campus leaders.
* And of course, transform the social entrepreneurship scene on the UM campus

The following links will give you a sense for the program and last year’s initiatives.
http://www.ashoka.org/ccblog (Changemaker Campus blog)
http://vimeo.com/6087539 (A video featuring last year’s team)
http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/ses/ (2009 Social Enterprise Symposium organized by the UM Ashoka Team)
http://rhsmith.umd.edu/svc/filmfestival/2009Winners.aspx (2009 Transform Your World Film Festival designed by the UM Ashoka Team)

Please also join the Facebook Terp Changemakers group where we encourage dialog among students, promote events, and encourage campus changemaking. Just search for ‘terp changemakers’ in the Maryland network.

Please submit your completed application and resume to Sarina Gerson at sarina.gerson@gmail.com. Interviews will be held the week of October 5th.

More info? Contact Melissa Carrier at mcarrier@rhsmith.umd.edu, 301-405-9517.