Social Entrepreneurship
CU-Boulder has been selected as an Ashoka Changemaker Campus. Learn more about Ashoka on the
Ashoka blog.
The Social Entrepreneurship landscape at the University of Colorado at Boulder is driven by the question “social entrepreneurship for what?”— that is, we are less interested in the abstract concept than in the ways social entrepreneurial processes may affect important aspects of community well-being.
While there is no formal program of study in social entrepreneurship at CU, there are numerous opportunities for students to build an understanding of this emerging area and connect with leaders in the field. The Deming Center helps create a network of support for students interested in social entrepreneurship through such efforts as bringing in speakers and assisting students in making connections that can lead to jobs and internships.
Other specific opportunities for business students include:
CESRCurriculum Emphasis on Social Responsibility: CESR is an academic program in the Leeds School of Business that integrates business ethics and corporate social responsibility throughout the business curriculum. Hands-on experiential learning for undergraduates is offered to juniors and seniors through two new elective course entitled, 'Global Small Business: Learning through Service' and "Finding Business Opportunities in a Resource-Challenged World".
For more information visit the CESR website.
SEED@CU For example, thanks to an internal Innovative Seed Grant from the Graduate School, an interdisciplinary, multi-generational group of faculty, graduate students, and undergrads— Social Entrepreneurship for Equitable Development (SEED)@CU-- is working on research relating social entrepreneurship and sustainable community development in Nepal and Kenya. The findings from this research are being incorporated into courses and seminars across campus.
EDC Recently CU launched the Mortenson Center in Engineering for Developing Communities (MC-EDC), which will expand the activities and reach of the six-year old Engineering for Developing Communities Program. The MC-EDC promotes integrated and participatory solutions to humanitarian development . In many instances, the MC-EDC projects link social entrepreneurial processes with efforts to solve technical community problems.
The internationally recognized
Engineers Without Borders-USA program was founded at CU-Boulder MC-EDC Executive DirectorBernard Amadei. EWB-CU is an affiliated student organization and continues to draw a diverse group of students to work on sustainable community development. The Deming Center social entrepreneurship course is connecting MBA students to EWB students..
CU Boulder is nationally recognized for student engagement in research and service activities. We are one of three US schools to receive a Presidential award for exemplary community service (2007), and CU consistently ranks in the top five institutions in the US for Peace Corps volunteers.
Courses
Social entrepreneurship is an emerging field of study at CU. Coursework and extracurricular activities are available across a range of disciplines.
MBAX 6100 Entrepreneurial Environments examines the environments of entrepreneurial firms from start-up to development of ventures where the key element is learning the process of determining the difference between ideas and commercializable opportunities through feasibility analysis and plans.
MBAX 6845 Social Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets looks at emerging economies of the world that provide incredible opportunities for new avenues of profitable innovation for firms and entrepreneurs of all types, whether multinationals or micro enterprises. This course will increase awareness and understanding of these environments and help evolve the skills needed to participate as entrepreneurs in these emerging opportunities.
Anthropology 4500 Cross-Cultural Aspects of Socioeconomic Development examines goals of international agencies that support development in underdeveloped countries
Geography 2002 Geographies of Global Change familiarizes students with spatial and ecological perspectives on economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental changes; and examines roles of transnational corporations, global media, world cities, food security, labor, migration, human rights, ethnicity, nationalism, resources, environmental degradation, and sustainable development in global change.
LAW 7619 Entrepreneurial Law Clinic allows law students to advise indigent clients who need legal services in the founding of their business or not-for-profit firms, registering LLCs, and drafting employment and intellectual property agreements.
PSCI 4751 The Politics of Ideas examines theoretical arguments and case studies of interactions of ideas, interests, and institutions in policymaking. Analyzes processes through which ideas come to the public agenda, how institutional settings shape those ideas, and why some ideas and interests are more successful.
Engineering for Developing Communities is one of several Active Learning Opportunities and Exploration Beyond the Classroom experiences available to students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
There are a number of students in the MBA program who are actively pursuing social entrepreneurship opportunities. For more information about how to get involved as a student, please contact
Emily Bosland.