Social Entrepreneurship at Stanford

Melanie Edwards was part of the inaugural class of Reuters Digital Vision Fellows, and has maintained an active role on campus as the director of Social Entrepreneurship. She outlined a number of related programs, projects, and courses:

Public Policy 190

A lecture series bringing key people from social for-profits, not-for-profits and NGO's, this class attracts 80-90 students, a mix of MBA's, engineering grad students, and undergrads. RDVP Fellows have the opportunity to give a 1-minute blurb at the first course offering on September 28th.

Public Policy 193 Social Entrepreneurship Collaboratory

A course offering where teams of undergraduates research and carry out projects on problems that interest them, receiving course credit for their work. RDVP Fellows may serve as mentors to the teams. Approximately 200 students participate, and the course has been growing at 40% per year.

FUSION (Future Social Innovators Network)

A group of approximately 350 like-minded students who host a conference and run a mailing list for social entrepreneurship issues.

BASES Social eChallenge

A counterpart to the BASES eChallenge business plan competition, the Social eChallenge proceeds along the same schedule with the same structure and judging, but is a separate pool of competition with its own prizes. Only those plans with a significant social component (either for-profit or non-profit) may compete.

Advanced Social Entrepreneurship Collaboratory

Bringing marketing and fundraising experts to class, this series is for students who are making significant commitments to projects on campus. May be open to RDVP fellows.

Philanthropy Class

Laura Arillaga's class, autumn quarter, is open to RDVP fellows. (Note: I've been attending this one, see subsequent blog entries). It deals mostly with the grant writing and evaluating process, especially in the context of venture philanthropy. She brings in many guest speakers, especially heads of major foundations, and has been responsible for the production of the discussion cases.

Global Philanthropy Forum

Has had 3 conferences at Stanford, with another scheduled in early March 2005.

GSB Social Venture Club

A student-run group at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.