Innovative Sustainability & Social Impact Initiative
The Innovative Sustainability & Social Impact Initiative at CEI empowers students to use the skills and strategies of business leaders to innovatively and sustainably solve social, environmental, and economic problems, locally and around the world.
Courses for Undergraduate & Graduate Students
- SYA4930/ENT3503 - Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship (counts towards the minor in Entrepreneurship)
- ENT 4934 - Venture Planning for Social Entrepreneurs (online course, created in Partnership with Ashoka Youth Venture)
- ENT 6506 - Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
*Independent Studies, Applied Field Studies, and Internships available upon request
Opportunities for Involvement
Summer Program for High School Students
Student Organizations
- UF NetImpact Chapter (ufnetimpact at gmail.com) (graduate students)
- Change the World UF: Student Social Entrepreneurs (undergraduate students)
- United World Social Entrepreneurs
- Humanitarian InterACTION on Campus (an umbrella organization representing 22 other UF student orgs)
Business Plan Competitions
-
NetImpact-Walmart Sustainability Better Living Business Plan Competition (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Each year 4-8 teams have entered, the top 3 were selected to compete in the UF Finals round with a panel of distinguished judges, and the winning team was sent to represent UF at the Regionals competition at Emory University in Atlanta.
- Greening Gator Footprints Eco-Innovation Competition, April 2012 - 16 teams entered, check out the videos
- UF Youth Venture Changemaker Summit & Challenge, Spring 2011 - 60 students attended the Summit & 5 Teams entered the Challenge, 3 were awarded $1000 Seed Grants
- Social/Environmental Venture category of the Howard Leonhardt Business Plan competition: 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Study Abroad
- Summer 2014: Partnering with Ashoka Youth Venture in India to plan a Social Entrepreneurship Study Abroad in India during Summer A. More information coming soon.
Events & Activities
- Speakers Series, 2013, see Change the World UF for more information
- Film Series, 2013, see Change the World UF for more information
- Dinner with a Social Entrepreneur, in partnership with Slow Food UF, 2013, see Change the World UF for more information
- Sustainable Lunch Series
National & International Partnerships
As of Fall 2010 we are an Ashoka Youth Venture Campus and are applying to be a part of the Ashoka U. Changemaker Campus Consortium in 2013.
We are partnering with the Sullivan Foundation to create opportunities for students interested in Social Entrepreneurship & Service Learning.
We are collaborating with Echoing Green to host webinars on Work on Purpose.
Alumni Social Entrepreneurs
After learning about Social Entrepreneurship, some of our Alumni have launched their own ventures, including:
- New Charity Era/Raise the Village by Cameron Macmillan, Joey Sasvari & Biko Evarist
- Fracture by Abhi Lokesh & Alex Theodore
- NobleHour by Callahan Fore, we proudly partner with NobleHour to track students' service learning
