Student Social Entrepreneurship
Fostering a new generation of change makers equipped to help resolve today's social problems through critical reflection, engaged learning, and practical experience.
Social Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Problem Solvers
This award-winning, undergraduate course, taught by CTA’s Executive Director Anke Wessels and offered in Cornell’s Department of Applied Economics and Management, is an academic experience unlike most, in which students discover how they can make a real difference as agents for change. Inspired by stories of successful social entrepreneurs not much older than they are, students begin to explore how they most want to contribute to the well being of others. They practice skills essential to innovative problem solving, project development, and community organizing. Students are asked to reflect on their career paths and what legacy they want to leave with their lives. We encourage them to think globally and locally—to purposefully, creatively, and collaboratively pursue new ideas of what is possible, and to persevere in the face of obstacles. You can download the syllabus from Anke's 2011 class in the right sidebar.
Fiscal Sponsorship to Students with Transformative Projects
CTA is the only nonprofit incubator and fiscal sponsor associated with a major university. We offer a unique opportunity for Cornell students to test their innovative social change projects without having to obtain non profit and tax exempt status first. If accepted, these projects benefit from all the mentorship and business services CTA provides its project partners.
Advisor to Cornell Student Organizations
CTA’s Executive Director currently serves as advisor to several Cornell student organizations that focus on social entrepreneurship, social innovation, and social change.
Cornell Design for America
Design for America (DFA) is an award-winning nationwide network of interdisciplinary student teams and community members using design to create local and social impact. We teach human centered design to young adults and collaborating community partners through extra-curricular, university based, student led design studios tackling national challenges in Education, Health, Economy and Environment.
For more information email: Giselle Malina
Circle of Women at Cornell
The purpose of Circle of Women at Cornell is to increase girls' access to education in the developing world - whether it be by building schools, facilitating their enrollment, renovating existing schools, or raising awareness at home. Project locations are currently in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India - with a project in the works for Bangladesh.
For more information contact: circleofwomen@gmail.com
Society for Social Entrepreneurship and Collaborative Action
SSECA’s mission is to promote social entrepreneurship and encourage collaborative action between change makers on campus.
We hope to achieve this by serving as an umbrella organization for individuals and organizations on campus involved in social change work. We work towards facilitating communication between campus change makers by bringing them together through events such as an Alternative Gift Fair and conference, and encouraging more collaboration and synergies in the future.
For more information email: Zoe Wong.
Social Business Consulting Group
The Social Business Consulting Group is an undergraduate student-run organization committed to furthering the causes of a variety of social entrepreneurs. Members are able to gain practical consulting experience while working to ameliorate social injustices. Our group works with numerous clients committed to a wide array of social causes around the world.
Our organization has paired students with social entrepreneurs in eight countries. One team helped a microfinance institution in Senegal secure seed capital and designed a pilot program for a rural village. Another team helped a cooperative of artisans in Paraguay triple their exports. We have also successfully paired student teams with an educational non-profit in Ghana, a microfinance investment fund based in the United States, a water purification effort in Haiti, a group in Cameroon developing a curriculum for homeless children, a non-profit in India combating the effects of urban migration, and an umbrella development organization in Ecuador.
For more information email: info@socialbusinessconsulting.org
