The Social Enterprise Institute is sending two teams from Professor Dennis Shaughnessy’s Advanced Topics in Social Entrepreneurship senior capstone course to the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in St. Louis from April 5-7, 2013.
Launched by President Clinton in 2007, the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) aims to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world. CGIU convenes annually with over 1200 students, in partnership with youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. CGI U’s five focus areas include: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health.
Two of SEI’s selected teams are representing their senior capstone class on the topic of agricultural sustainability in the Dominican Republic. The Mata Los Indios team includes BSIB junior Habib El Magrissy, International Affairs (IAF) senior Andonis Marden, and BSBA Senior Nico Rodriguez. The students are working on developing a drip irrigation project in partnership with a rural community made up of sugar plantation farmers in Mata Los Indios. The other capstone team, Camino Nuevo, includes BSBA middler Paige Marze, IAF students, Abhi Nangia, Becky Darling and Anahi Santoyo Delgado and Gabrielle Page, are working on developing access to markets for a women’s jewelry cooperative in partnership with Manna Project International (MPI). The jewelry cooperative is made up of women who reside in La Chureca, one of the largest municipal trash dumps in Latin America.
BSBA Senior Michael Behan will represent Njabini Apparel, a social business that employs Kenyan mothers to design retail apparel aimed at the college market. Njabini Apparel is gearing up for a new agricultural lending initiative, Wakulima Pamoja (Farmers Together in Swahili) that will also be presented at CGIU.
The Social Enterprise Institute research associate team comprised of BSIB senior Christian Shannon, Communications senior Caitlin Ferguson and IAF students Rachel Shaheen and Rob Gulick; the students will debut the NU Social Enterprise Review at CGIU. The NU SE Review is a student led editorial review that informs, discusses, and motivates students to act on business for global good.
