Social entrepreneurship occurs when citizens build or transform institutions to advance solutions to social problems, such as poverty, illness, illiteracy, environmental destruction, human rights abuses, and corruption, to make life better for many. Is using social entrepreneurship to affect change the next big idea? This question will be analyzed at an upcoming continuing education conference presented by your alumni association. Inspired by IUPUI’s Common Theme book How to Change the World – Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein, our distinguished panel of faculty and local changemakers will examine the organizational characteristics, strategies, and personal qualities of a successful social entrepreneur and why this is important to all of us.
When: Saturday March 3, breakfast & registeration at 7:30 am; 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Where: IUPUI University Place Conference Center and Hotel 850 W. Michigan St.
Cost — Register online at www.alumni.iupui.edu. Price per person (include continental breakfast and lunch): $25.00 for dues-paying members of the IU or Purdue Alumni Associations and current students; $35.00 for non members who are affiliated with IUPUI, IU, or Purdue (alumni, faculty, staff); $45.00 general admission (anyone who is NOT an alumnus or faculty/staff/student at IUPUI, IU, or Purdue)[/stextbox]
Conference agenda
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 8:40 a.m. Welcome
8:40 – 10:00 a.m. Opening Session – Jill Vialet, Playworks & Ashoka Fellow
CEO and Founder Jill Vialet has worked for more than 20 years in the nonprofit sector, during which she focused her entrepreneurial skills on conceiving of and growing two successful nonprofit organizations, Playworks and MOCHA (Museum of Children’s Art in Oakland). Jill is a proud graduate of public schools and Harvard University. Jill will discuss her experience in building a national nonprofit and will provide a context for understanding social entrepreneurship through the perspective of a woman trying to bring a big idea to scale. She’ll also talk about getting started, the decision to go to scale, the path Playworks decided to take, and some of the lessons learned along the way.
Breakout Sessions, 10:10 – 11:40 a.m.
The Role of Social Enterprise – Part 1 of 2
Professors Antony Page and Robert Katz of McKinney School of Law
Social enterprise has received a great deal of attention recently and has been included in IUPUI’s 2011–2013 Common Theme….so what is it? Social enterprise is the notion that for-profit and nonprofit organizations can blend their paradigms: for-profit organizations can advance a social mission while generating acceptable financial returns to investors, and nonprofit organizations can begin revenuegenerating commercial activity to develop their charitable mission. This presentation looks at how law may be able to assist with the formation, operation, and sustainability of social enterprises. In particular, the presentation will highlight newly-created forms of social enterprise, including the L3C, Benefit Corporation, and Flexible Purpose Corporation, while also addressing the perceived disadvantages of traditional forms. This session will be beneficial for attorneys and non-attorneys.
Indianapolis as a Humanitarian Hub
John Clark, Visiting Assistant Professor School of Public and Environmental Affairs
What would be needed for Indy to be a humanitarian hub? What sorts of incubating and coordinating institutions would work best? How have comparable cities organized their international activities? What would be the implications for jobs, education, and other pressing civic issues?
Sarah Harris, Vice President & Founder, Incite & Marty Posch, The Finish Line Youth Foundation
Statistics show that socially responsible companies can draw customers. Businesses are becoming attracted to this market and producing programs and reports about their desire to be socially responsible (these reports could be suspect). What are good examples of Corporate social responsibility? Is CSR just good marketing and PR, or are real efforts being made to make social change? The Finish Line Youth Foundation strives to make a difference in the lives of youth in the communities where employees and customers live, work, and play. It accomplishes this by being a good steward of the funds it receives and by supporting youth programs that are effective and inclusive. For nearly a decade Incite has been creating results-oriented social impact marketing campaigns. They work in collaboration with businesses, government entities, and nonprofit organizations, to confront today’s greatest social challenges—from public health to climate change, education to community building. Incite is a division of Emmis Communications, a diversified communications company with international digital and media operations.
Writing for Social Change: Tools for Persuasion
Gail Bennett-Edelman, Senior Lecturer, Department of English — Coordinator, Professional Writing
In this interactive session, Gail Bennett-Edelman and current students will discuss paying attention to the rhetorical context when writing for social change. They will explain the “kairos moment” and how to use urgent situations to appeal to an audience for change. They will also discuss the connection between social change passions, the rhetorical context, and accompanying actions (protest, lifestyle, etc.).
Breakout Sessions, 11:50 a.m. – 1:2o p.m.
Learn from Practitioners in the Field of Social Entrepreneurship
Moderated by John Clark. Panelists include: David Harris, CEO of the Mind Trust; Tom Hiatt, Co-Chair of Grameen Indiana; and Sarah Harris, Vice President & Founder, Incite.
Social entrepreneurs combine the commitment to meaningful change associated with nonprofit organizations and the financial approaches associated with for-profit companies. How these are combined depends on the challenges being addressed and the creativity of the social entrepreneur. This panel discussion will explore three very different approaches to issues such as education reform, poverty reduction, and neighborhood revitalization.
The Role of Social Enterprise – Part 2 of 2
Professors Antony Page and Robert Katz McKinney School of Law
Social enterprise has received a great deal of attention recently and has been included in IUPUI’s 2011-2013 Common Theme….so what is it? Social enterprise is the notion that for-profit and nonprofit organizations can blend their paradigms: for-profit organizations can advance a social mission while generating acceptable financial returns to investors, and nonprofit organizations can begin revenue-generating commercial activity to develop their charitable mission. This presentation looks at how law may be able to assist with the formation, operation and sustainability of social enterprises. In particular, the presentation will highlight newly-created forms of social enterprise including the L3C, Benefit Corporation and Flexible Purpose Corporation, while also addressing the perceived disadvantages of traditional forms. This session will be beneficial for attorneys and non-attorneys.
Social Media for Social Change
Mitch Maxson, Senior Creative Director, Media Sauce
The fast pace of technological innovation in social media is contributing to major changes in the world economy. In 2010 Twitter experienced greater than 1,000% year-on-year growth, registering more than 7 million unique visitors per month in the US alone. Likewise, Facebook now has a subscriber base equal in size to the population of the fourth largest country in the world. The sweet spot for 21st-century brands lies at the intersection of “social” as in connecting people and “social” as in benefiting society. In this session, our social media expert will discuss the next frontiers of social networking, and what effect it can have in more remote parts of the world. In particular, the session will address how entrepreneurs, activists, politicians, and supporters can leverage social media in their work.
Luncheon, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. — Presentation by Bob Einterz, IU School of Medicine & Kenya Partnership
The focus of this presentation will not just be on the work that we’re doing with the medical community, but all of the smaller social change projects that are happening to empower women and farmers. With this year’s Weekend U theme, we will showcase the total impact that the IUSM program is having in creating social change in Kenya and even elsewhere around the world.
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January 17: Starting and Sustaining Green Ministries Do you want to start a “green” ministry at your church, synagogue or mosque? Do you already have a “green” ministry but are struggling to keep it going? Join Indianapolis Green Congregations for this informational meeting/exchange of ideas.
January 19: Common talks about “Lessons of Life: One Day It’ll All Make Sense” An address by Common, “The King of Conscious Hip-Hop” — Grammy-winning artist, actor and author.
January 25: Humanitarian speed dating at the Athenaeum Fifteen of Indy’s most creative social entrepreneurs will tell you what they are doing, why it’s important, and how you can be part of their efforts to change the world … in four minutes each.
February 29: The Joseph Taylor Symposium: “The Campus for the Community” Since its founding in the 1960s, more than half a million students have graduated from IUPUI. How has IUPUI shaped Indianapolis and vice versa?
March 20: “An Evening with America Ferrera” America Ferrera is perhaps best known for her Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Betty Suarez on the ABC hit comedy “Ugly Betty,” but she is also a devoted humanitarian. In 2010, Ferrera was awarded the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s Inspira Award, which recognized her contributions as a role model through her work as an actress and activist. She is also the recipient of the 2011 Global Action Award for Childhood Development and Education for her work with Save the Children in Mali. In March 2011, Ferrera was named the 2011 national recipient of the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy Award for her commitment to helping lead underprivileged families and youth to a better life and education.
April 11: Creativity, Collaboration and Compassion at the Crossroads Diverse ways of solving problems encounter one another at the crossroads. In Indy, various types of social entrepreneurs — nonprofits and businesses, churches and high schools, artists and college students — are partnering to implement creative and innovative ideas to change the world. Can Indy nurture and sustain them to become a leading “humanitarian hub”?
Social entrepreneurship occurs when citizens build or transform institutions to advance solutions to social problems, such as poverty, illness, illiteracy, environmental destruction, human rights abuses, and corruption, to make life better for many. Is using social entrepreneurship to affect change the next big idea? This question will be analyzed at an upcoming continuing education conference presented by your alumni association. Inspired by IUPUI’s Common Theme book How to Change the World – Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein, our distinguished panel of faculty and local changemakers will examine the organizational characteristics, strategies, and personal qualities of a successful social entrepreneur and why this is important to all of us.
This is a great topic to have continuing discussions and collaboration on.