Interested in learning what Sustainability means to those in the business world living it? 
Want to know how you can make a difference and leave an impact?
Still looking for an opportunity to network with professionals in Marketing, Finance, Strategy or Entrepreneurship?

Please join us for the The Duke Conference on Sustainable Business & Social Impact (formerly “Footprints”). We have an exciting lineup planned for this year’s conference, including two outstanding keynote speakers. The opening plenary will feature a conversation with Chad Holliday, former Chairman and CEO of Dupont, and our closing keynote address will be delivered by Jonathan Greenblatt, President of Our Good Works and co-founder of Ethos Water. Come hear from speakers representing Newman’s Own, IDEO, Ben & Jerry’s, Acumen Fund, Transfair USA, Mars, The World Resources Institute, SJF Ventures, and The U.S. EPA, and many other leading organizations spanning the for-profit and non-profit sectors. We’ll also be joined by Fuqua faculty members who will be speaking and moderating panel sessions throughout the day.

REGISTER NOW! Panel sessions are organized into 4 tracks (Finance, Marketing, Strategy and Entrepreneurship), and topics will include:   · Web 2.0 for social impact   · Sustainable investing   · Market-based solutions for international development   · Building a sustainable supply chain   · Strategies for climate change   · Design innovation for social impact   · Financing clean technology   · New business models for consumer products   · And much more…   For more information on the conference agenda, speakers and to register, please visit us at www.dukembanetimpact.org/sbsi.

If you have any questions, please contact Vince Margida (vfm3@duke.edu) or Remya Narayanaswami (rn27@duke.edu)

Interested in running for a Net Impact Co-President position during the 2010-2011 academic year?

We urge all FYs interested to run! Start to think about your value proposition and find your running mate.... market your skills and help take the Duke MBA Net Impact Club to the next level! If you’re contemplating running for a co-president position or if you are interested in a leadership position with the Net Impact Club next year, please reach out to Ritu Khanna (ritu.khanna@duke.edu) and/or Michelle Salmen (michelle.salmen@duke.edu).

** Club President Platforms must be submitted to Ritu and Michelle by 12pm on Monday, February 8th, 2010.

Duke University’s Corporate Sustainability Initiative is pleased to announce its Call for Applications for the 2010-11 class of CSI Fellows.  The CSI Fellows Program supports CSI’s vision to educate and enable the world’s next generation of sustainable business leaders.  Fellows, selected from graduate students at both The Fuqua School of Business and Nicholas School of the Environment, work with CSI on applied research projects as well as programmatic support and strategy.  Fellows are not paid, but they do have access to unique, high-impact project and networking opportunities (for instance, participation in CSI Corporate Advisory Council meetings and dinners, special events with sustainability guests and thought-leaders, and first right-of-refusal on project opportunities with our research partners). 

Application deadline is February 14.  If you have any questions about the CSI Fellows program, feel free to talk to Katie Kross or any of the 2009-10 Fellows:  Beth Boomgard, Mark Braby, Amrita Dhingra, Wyley Hodgson, Alex Michalko, Elise Richards, Martin Romero-Wolf, and Jen Snook. 

When:  Thursday, February 11, 7:00 - 8:30pm 
Where:  Fuqua School of Business, HCA Auditorium
Audience: Duke students, faculty, staff, and the public

Lecture by VisionSpring Founder & CEO, Dr. Jordan Kassalow

More Information:  The CASE Award for Enterprising Social Innovation (ESI) recognizes outstanding individuals, organizations, or companies whose innovations blend methods from the worlds of business and philanthropy to create sustainable social value that has the potential for large-scale impact.  This award recognizes VisionSpring’s work to improve vision and economic opportunity in countries all over the developing world.  Drawing upon techniques and concepts from both the commercial and social sectors, VisionSpring’s innovative business model achieves significant impact for entrepreneurs and for their customers in underserved markets – bringing dramatically improved vision to individuals at the base of the economic pyramid and leading to improvements in health, income, and productivity in the world's poorest communities. 

Dr. Jordan Kassalow, VisionSpring’s founder and CEO will deliver the ESI Lecture and accept the CASE Award for Enterprising Social Innovation on behalf of VisionSpring.   Read more about VisionSpring.

When: Every Tuesday from 5-6pm (weekly)
Where: Seminar Room D

First-Year Job Search Teams will once again be meeting weekly in the spring on Tuesdays from 5-6pm.   All first-years interested in non-profit and social sector jobs are encouraged to attend.  It doesn't matter if you've never been to a job search team before.  No matter where you in the job search, feel free to come to the job search teams if you're feeling at all unsure about the process.  In addition to being working sessions, we will cover the topics listed in the schedule below.  

Contact Sophie Messer or Teddy Salgado with any questions.

When: Weekly, starting Friday, Jan. 29 4-5pm
Where: Seminar C

What: Due to popular demand NIC will be hosting Second Year Job Search Teams.  The session is intended to be a forum for SY's to share ideas about the full-time job hunt.  Join us for the first meeting on Jan. 29 where we will discuss the best format for the sessions going forward.

Contact Sophie Messer, Teddy Salgado, or Ritu Khanna with any questions.

When: Wednesdays, 9:00am-10:00am
Where: The Fuqua School of Business, Fox Center
Audience: Fuqua MBA Daytime Students

Details: Drop by to chat with Katie Kross about your sustainability job search or other sustainability questions. Katie is Associate Director of the Corporate Sustainability Initiative at Duke and author of Profession and Purpose: A Resource Guide for MBA Careers in Sustainability.

Spring Term 1 Dates: Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Feb. 24, Mar. 3

Job Opportunities

Stay on top of the latest job opportunities for summer internships as well as full time jobs. Please log onto the CASE/CMC Nonprofit Job Directory (http://www.caseatduke.org/mba/careers/index.html ) for a full list of job postings.

Net Impact Members visit http://jobs.netimpact.org/search.cfm for information about many more recently posted openings…

B Corporations (www.bcorporation.net) are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to create public benefit. B Corporations meet high performance and legal standards and build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.

Job Description:   Seeking 6 MBA interns for an eight-week internship program during the summer of 2010. Auditing Summer Associates will work with a team of other MBAs and B Lab staff members to complete audits of the social and environmental practices of a random sample of 10% of all certified B Corporations. Program will include a 7-day training program, visits to the B Corporations selected for audits, and one research project. Interns will work from home, on site with B Corporations, and from B Lab’s offices in San Francisco, CA or Berwyn, PA.   

Download full Job Description document for more information.

When: March 17-19, 2010
Where: Miami Beach Convention Center

Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise Conference, Miami-2010 will be your best opportunity in 2010 to learn, network, and connect with hundreds of top social enterprise/financial leaders and organizations from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the state of Florida- in addition to organizations worldwide which have an interest in expanding to the region.

500 leaders from 25 countries, 150+ speakers, and 70 panels and
workshops over 3 days of intense education, networking + connecting financial capital to ideas.

This Conference will be the largest in Latin America, the Caribbean, Florida and for US social entrepreneurs and organizations with a connection to the region.  This Conference is especially important for those with an interest in the Latin American/Caribbean/Florida region.

Visit http://www.connectionmiami.com/about to learn more information about this conference.
http://www.connectionmiami.com (main website)
http://www.connectionmiami.com/conference-agenda (conference agenda)

Are you passionate about market-driven solutions to poverty?
Do you want to be on the forefront of innovation in microfinance and alternative investment?
Do you want to apply your skills in financial analysis, private equity, or insurance to help change the lives of 25 million poor people?

LeapFrog Investments, the world’s first microinsurance fund, is looking for outstanding and dynamic young leaders to join us as Global Fellows. LeapFrog Investments Job Description - download pdf now!

LeapFrog Investments - LeapFrog invests in businesses that provide insurance to low-income and vulnerable people in Africa and Asia. The fund targets strong financial returns for investors while expanding a growing portfolio to provide valuable insurance products to reaching 25 million people with insurance – 15 million of them women and children.

The role - This is a unique chance to work as an Investment Associate with a cutting-edge organization in microfinance, and the industry leader in microinsurance. Fellows will help LeapFrog to source and act on exciting investment opportunities, and to grow the microinsurance sector. Working directly with the LeapFrog Principals, Fellows’ responsibilities can include financial modeling, investment due diligence, industry analysis, day-to-day operations, marketing and transaction support. There will also be opportunities to work directly with our portfolio companies, helping their high-impact business grow and succeed. Flexibility and initiative are essential to thriving in LeapFrog’s entrepreneurial environment.

Considering a mentored study for the Spring?  Take note of several new opportunities that have just become available. Full details of potential projects are posted online at: http://tinyurl.com/MBA-HelpWanted. Note: this link will always list the most current information and opportunities for MBAs to work with organizations requesting help through CASE

A recent Fuqua alumna is launching a social enterprise that manufactures and sells Latino-inspired gourmet baked goods. The company will provide exposure and access to high quality products that Latinos and non-Latinos alike can experience and indulge. Through product packaging and social media, we will share the stories of Latinos that are making a positive impact in the U.S. which will influence the perspective of mainstream America and help reduce the negative stereotypes of Latinos that exist today.

Two potential projects are available starting Spring 1:

Interested students should send an email communicating their interest to Liliana Valle, liliana.valle@alumni.duke.edu and should include his/her resume.

The Smith School of Business and USAID's Business Growth Initiative  are pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural Global Challenge: Creating Alliances for Economic Prosperity  this week.

Teams of graduate students from across the country are invited to participate in this unique competition format, which is neither a case competition nor a business plan competition. Instead, teams will devise an entirely new public-private alliance--one that will allow a private enterprise to contribute to international development initiatives in a specified region. The challenge requires equal parts creativity, research skills, business acumen and passion for seeking solutions that advance growth and reduce poverty.

Prizes include cash ($5,000 for the winning team, plus $2,500 and $1,000 for second and third places, respectively) and the opportunities to connect with leading experts in the international development and business communities, receive guidance and build invaluable relationships with other students.

Teams may register through February 5 at www.rhsmith.umd.edu/globalchallenge .  The first round is a written submission, due on March 5, and the final round is an oral competition at USAID's headquarters in Washington, D.C., on April 23.

For more information, including the complete rules and regulations, visit the Global Challenge  on the Web.  In addition, please feel free to distribute the Challenge flier ( www.rhsmith.umd.edu/globalchallenge/pdf_docs/ChallengeFlier.pdf ) to your friends, colleagues and networks.

Innovation begins here…

Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) are proud to host the inaugural Urban Education Redesign Challenge, the first case competition sponsored by an urban school district, on April 9 and 10, 2010 in our nation’s capital. The Challenge is a case competition, offering graduate students the opportunity to propose innovative solutions and strategies within the context of urban education reform at DCPS.

This year’s Challenge will focus on public engagement and mobilization strategies for DCPS, as Chancellor Rhee moves into her third year of implementing urban education reform in the District. At a critical juncture in her tenure, Chancellor Rhee has prioritized how to institutionalize public engagement in a way that ensures that every stakeholder has a voice in improving our schools.

For full competition details and applications, please visit the Challenge website at http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/challenge.

Team applications are due Friday, February 19, 2010. For additional questions, email DCPS.challenge@dc.gov or contact Program Manager, Susan Cheng at 202-442-5010 susan.cheng@dc.gov

Challenge Timeline:

Team application process
        Friday, February 19, 2010: Application period closes at 5pm EST
        Friday, February 26, 2010: Teams notified of selection by 5pm EST

Competition dates
        Wednesday, March 31, 2010: Case released at 5 pm EST
        Friday, April 9, 2010: Registration, opening ceremony and reception
        Saturday, April 10, 2010: Competition day (Columbia Heights Ed Campus, at 3101 16th St, Wash DC)

Prizes:

1ST PLACE • $5,000 prize : Meeting with the Chancellor and Offer to join Summer 2010 session of Urban Education Leaders Internship Program with stipend

2ND PLACE • $3,000 prize: Meeting with DCPS senior staff and consideration for the Summer 2010 session of Urban Education Leaders Internship Program with stipend

3RD PLACE • $2,000 prize: Consideration for the Summer 2010 session of Urban Education Leaders Internship Program with stipend

There is just over a month left to enter the 2010   Dell Social Innovation Competition. The University of Texas at Austin and Dell invite all student social entrepreneurs to enter the competition for a chance to win $50,000 to turn their world-changing ideas into a new business or nonprofit with a mission to change lives for the better. The competition is open to college and university students worldwide.

The deadline to enter is March 1, 2010. Students can submit their ideas online at http://www.dellsocialinnovationcompetition.com.   Along with students, citizens worldwide are invited to comment on,   vote for and discuss the ideas in the online community forum.

The RGK Center for Philanthropy & Community Service in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin introduced the  Social Innovation Competition in 2006, awarding more than $200,000 in prizes to student social entrepreneurs.

Past Winners Update

Jason Shah, finalist in the 2009 Dell Social Innovation Competition, continues to gain support and acclaim for his innovation named I Need A Pencil.com.  Jason is a finalist in the Forbes Boost Your Business Competition and voting ends today.

Check out his project and vote for him now.   http://www.forbes.com/byb/2009/semi/boost-your-business-contest-09-i-need-a-pencil.html

http://www.dellsocialinnovationcompetition.com 
http://twitter.com/dellsocialinnov 
http://www.facebook.com/DellSocialInnovation 

When:  March 19-20, 2010
Where: Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, NC

“This two-day event features students from top MBA programs matching wits in a high energy competition featuring double-bottom-line entrepreneurs and investors...”

Taking its inspiration from the highly successful VCIC®, the nation’s premiere strategy competition for venture–minded and entrepreneurial MBA students, SVCIC gives students from top business schools a real–world venture capitalist experience with double- or triple-bottom line evaluation techniques. Student teams interact with real entrepreneurs from real companies with real business plans. Unlike many other competitions where teams lock themselves away to mull over theoretical scenarios, the SVCIC exposes students to a variety of activities that ultimately must be integrated into a cohesive investment strategy to be pitched to venture capitalists. The SVCIC experience includes a wide variety of challenges in a WIN-WIN-WIN convergence of three elite groups: top MBA students, visionary socially- or sustainably-minded entrepreneurs, and successful social/ sustainable venture capitalists, each of whom has much to learn from the others. 

Click here to download the Invitation flyer for more information.

For more information please visit: svcic.squarespace.com
For registration please visit: SVCIC Registration
Contact: Majed Ardati  at majed_ardati@unc.edu

When:  March 26 & 27, 2010
Where: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Who: Open to Undergraduate and Graduate Students!

Give your 2-minute pitch on an ELEVATOR to Venture Capitalists while you mix and mingle with entrepreneurs from across the country.

Executive Summary Due: February 15, 2010 Midnight EST  (Click here to submit your Executive Summary)

Total awards up to $350,000 in Cash and Services!

Featuring two tracks:  Traditional Business Plan Competition & Social Entrepreneurship Competition

For more information, go to  http://business.wfu.edu/default.aspx?id=268.

I-DEV International (www.idevinternational.com) is launching an exciting new program which may appeal to you.  The 2009 / 2010 Doing Development In… Program: Peru is a 10 day immersion trip to Peru’s Northern Highlands for graduate students and young professionals interested in learning first hand how international development, social entrepreneurship and micro-finance is making a difference on the ground. 

For additional information, students can visit the DDI website (http://idevinternational.com/ddi) or view our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=147250859423&ref=ts). 

For more details, download the attached program flier. 

The Duke Solid Organ Transplant Center is looking for an interested Fuqua MBA student to participate in a project to develop a Transplant House at Duke University. Help put together a business plan for the Setup of a Non-Profit Transplant House at Duke University!

Duke Hospital is one of the largest solid organ transplant programs in the United States and attracts patients from a wide geographic radius. The costs of housing for patients and families are often a barrier for patients which delays or prohibits them from getting an organ transplant. The leadership of the Duke Transplant Center is trying to develop a non-profit housing facility for patients and families in order to help patients receive these life saving therapies. Planning for this project has been ongoing for the last year and plans for a large scale fundraising campaign planned for this coming summer. We are looking for a Fuqua business student to help write a business plan for the setup of this non-profit corporation as well as the construction and operations of this facility.

Students interested should contact David Zaas, MD, MBA (Medical Director for Lung Transplantation and 2009 WEMBA graduate) at david.zaas@duke.edu or 919-684-2728.