Teaching Change

On today's episode, we visit Professor Claudine Tomlinson-Burney's Radio and Podcasting Class at Valencia College to explore the question of a successful life.  The student guests on today's show Felice Mathie, Tim Hetz, and Makenna Waller, are all students in the radio and podcasting class.  Felice, Tim, and Makenna engage Jerrid in a conversation on what success looks like in their lives and share a bit about their current journeys.    

On today's, episode we spend time with the Founder of The VIBE Movement Tina Median.  Tina shares her journey from teaching in Korea to teaching middle in Los Angles and San Diego to founding the VIBE Movement to inspire educators to vibe at a higher level.  She offers professional development programs for school staff and a Bold Educator Coaching Program aimed at teachers to re-engage in what their "why" is as a way to remain energized inside and outside of the classroom.    BiographyA natural rebel and rule interpreter, Tina has promoted social change since her youth, risking her reputation with bold fashion statements like shaving her head when she was only a freshman in high school. Tina spent much of her youth living, working, studying and volunteering abroad in humbling places like South Africa, India, and Vietnam. With almost 30 countries and 20 states under her belt by the time she was 26, Tina got a good glimpse of a world that was full of both love and destruction. She realized at a very young age the meaning of global citizenship, the duty we owe each other as human beings, and the impact one person can have.With 12 years of teaching experience, Tina earned her Red Badge of Courage on the battlefields of some tough schools between South Central LA and San Diego. But she wanted more and felt confined by the four walls of the classroom and stifled by a bureaucratic education system. With a master's in peace and justice studies, Tina found her passions for education and peace align through restorative practices. Linkshttps://www.vibemovement.com/https://www.vibemovement.com/vibe-deck Use Promo Code FREESHIP for free shipping if ordering within the United States.mailto:tina@vibemovement.comInstagram _thevibemovement_Facebook Page @vibewithvibe https://taylormali.com/ A Brooklyn-based Poet and Educator   

On today's episode, we connect with Rachel Christensen, Assistant Director of the Center for Peace and Commerce, at the University of San Diego.  Rachel shares how much of her work and pedagogy stems from living in the borderland of the US and Mexico.  She shares her journey into social innovation work and how she sees herself first and foremost as a bridge-builder bringing people together. BiographyRachel Christensen is the Assistant Director for the Center for Peace and Commerce. She cares about inviting more cultural brokers and bridge builders into the public, private, and social sectors to help individuals and communities flourish.  Formerly, she worked with social entrepreneurs in education in 9 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America with Edify, Inc. She also worked with a grassroots non-profit advocating for green transportation and placemaking in uptown San Diego neighborhoods.  She lived in the Dominican Republic, working with microfinance and SME models to improve education and studied mental health in rural Brazil. She has a Master's in Public Administration and is Chairwoman of the Board of Directors for the bi-national non-profit Create Purpose. LinksIf helpful, here are some other places I talk about teaching social innovation in the borderlands Ashoka Big Talk "Teaching In Between"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vMguJPNQUk&t=5s  Tedx Talk "Borderlanders"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hxnp4eo0bY   Personal Website on Living In-Betweenhttps://www.livinginbetween.org https://www.livinginbetween.org/themovement   Example of teaching design thinking across the borderhttps://www.sandiego.edu/news/detail.php?_focus=68936   Links to resources mentioned Acumen Resource Libraryhttps://www.plusacumen.org/   USD Fowler Global Social Innovation Challengehttps://www.sandiego.edu/cpc/gsic/https://www.sandiego.edu/cpc/newsroom/gsic.php  https://www.sandiego.edu/cpc/resources/ Impact Gap Canvashttp://tacklingheropreneurship.com/the-impact-gaps-canvas/Gap Frame (SDGs)http://gapframe.org/Ideohttps://www.ideou.com/Equity & Design Thinkinghttps://dschool.stanford.edu/resources/equity-centered-design-frameworkhttp://www.creativereactionlab.com/eccdDesigning Your Lifehttp://designingyour.life/resources-authorized/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SemHh0n19LA  TranscriptJerrid Kalakay 0:09 Welcome to the Teaching Change podcast, where we explore issues a Social Entrepreneurship, education, and innovation. I'm your host Jerrid Kalakay. On today's show, we're talking with Rachel Christiansen of the University of San Diego. Rachel, welcome to Teaching Change.Rachel Christensen 0:23 Yeah, thanks for having me.Jerrid Kalakay 0:25 Yeah. So, Rachel, I would love for you to kind of start out by talking a little bit about, introduce yourself, and then talk a bit of your work. You've done a bunch of stuff, a bunch of things, and now you're working in higher education, still doing a bunch of things. So anxious, just kind of who you are and what you're doing currently, and then we'll sort of dive off from that.Rachel Christensen 0:45 So my name is Rachel. I'm based in San Diego and park relevant a little bit for what we'll talk about today is probably two things. So my context is the US Mexico borderlands. We're about 15 minutes from Tijuana, Mexico. And that's part of Our pedagogy and how we interpret our context for the Social Innovation work that we do. And the other piece that's relevant to today is that I run our Center for peace and commerce, which is a center that's a partnership. I think it's a pretty cool radical way between the School of Business and a school of peace and justice. So the idea is we're trying to bring together sometimes disparate worlds, and paradigms around change, some of them that believe in business models, and some of them that believe in negotiation and, and community organizing, and realizing that we're going to need all approaches for us to make sustainable social change. And what that looks like on an operational level is I help primary students from the University of San Diego and our partner institutions around the world from about 12 countries to try their hand at building a social enterprise. So we kind of culminate a lot of our activities in a global social venture Pitch Competition that's oriented around the Sustainable Development Goals and really has as primary goals and learning and connecting around the Sustainable Development Goals and as a secondary goal and generating some ideas that could be sustainable social enterprises.Jerrid Kalakay 2:09 Wow. Wow. So that's a lot of stuff. It's a lot of stuff. What I think is really neat it talk a little bit more about your school of peace and justice and the School of Business coming together in the university to create the center that you work in. how unique is that in the landscape of higher education in the United States? And how did that come about?Rachel Christensen 2:34 Yeah, it's, um, it's very unique. There are. So just having a school of peace, or a school of peace study is very rare, usually to be normative like that. Usually it's war and conflict and peace or something like that. And so to study explicitly in the direction of pieces were in itself, there are only a couple schools and then to have a partnership between a business school and a p school is Common in higher ed, however, pretty necessarily emerging because it's been going on definitely conversations much longer than this. But since the 70s, there's been scholarship around economic development and peace, commerce through PP through commerce initiatives, and in the peacemaking space, economic generating activities are deemed as essential. And the conversation of course, around what's business for has shifted, have either shifted or depending on who you ask, go back to the basics of assuming that business is should be pro-peace and that business should be could be pro-poor. And so those conversations are fairly common, but the actual institutionalization of two schools coming together from sometimes very different paradigms fairly rare. And how did you come about? It's the centers been around since 2011, some visionary leaders from the University of San Diego. Definitely, right I need to reach across the aisle sometimes and, and sometimes it requires also retraining our brains as staff, faculty, students, community stakeholders of how we think about change and how it happens.Jerrid Kalakay 4:15 And approximately how many people are involved in the center's work? I know the two schools are probably pretty large. And then they've kind of come together with the center but how many people kind of are involved with the center's operations and, and the work that you all do?Rachel Christensen 4:30 Yeah, so it's, um, it's intentionally involving for on the doing side on the implementing side, all the stakeholders. So we have a team of part-time faculty who have teaching roles who also advised the center, and then we have to staff me and another person, and then students staff, part-time who is on learning and in-class and also work for the center. So that involves sort of the three main stakeholders at the university level staff, faculty and students and terms of participation. However, we work with dozens of Faculty, helping them learn how to embed SD G's into their syllabus learning how to embed experiential learning opportunities into their coursework. And then we have students participate at the University of San Diego from the undergraduate and graduate and Ph.D. levels. And then as mentioned, we have about 26 university partners per year that come from about 12 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and I don't think I mentioned North America, US, and Canada. And so those would be at the participation level. We have hundreds of students across the US.Jerrid Kalakay 5:39 That's, that's incredible. And just as a reminder, the university has, what's the enrollment at the university? Yeah, we'reRachel Christensen 5:47 around 10,000 undergrads and grad. Yeah, so it's a fairly small university. It's an engaged Catholic University that is contemporary and interfaith and much of the work but I'm trying to teach Catholic social values. In the sense of care for home, and dignity of work and some of those values that we bring to what we do, but it's just a fairly small private university. You know,Jerrid Kalakay 6:10 it's a beautiful campus I was on. I was on your campus A number of years ago for the showcase exchange. And it's absolutely gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. So, Rachel, how did you come to this work? It sounds like it's, it kind of sounds a little bit exhausting. I'm sure some of my listeners are listening and going, Wow, that's a lot of stuff, managing, balancing to complete schools, bringing them together, and then you've got students in the mix and you've got international students and faculty. It sounds like an awful lot of stuff that you're kind of balancing. I know you're not doing it alone. But how did you come to this work?Rachel Christensen 6:48 Well, I'm also be like my grandparents and wish that I would speak more slowly. So some of it could be a function of my Yeah, the answer is really easy. Maybe two parts. One is that I do consider it bridgework because you must. Yeah, I keep saying, you know, bridging worldviews and bridging disciplines. I think that that's, I've always found myself doing some kind of bridgework. Prior to this, I was doing first in Field Operations role, I was based in the Caribbean, specifically in some of the lingo, and then would liaise with office space in the US. And then I flipped and was based in an office in the US and would liaise with premier Latin American teams. So I think that that was bridgework. And I think if I went back any job I've had prior, and a lot of that has to do with how much my education formation happened here at the, you know, added that at an international border. So I think that the bridgework is one piece of just like we find ourselves, sometimes doing similar roles across organizations. And then the other piece is probably the Social Entrepreneurship piece, which I don't think maybe some The students that are in school now could have gotten a degree saying, I'm going to be a social entrepreneur. When I was in school, I didn't think that that was a path. So definitely admit that I tripped into Social Entrepreneurship, only really discovering it as a field after graduation. And so I came to it through working doing work that was business training and acceleration services for small businesses in the education space, and then over time, realized that there was a whole space and then maybe more became more interest over time of like-new models that could be social enterprise or could be more broadly in a Social Innovation space. So like most things, I think, just like who you are, the bridge piece, and then stumbling into things and then realizing that it's a good place to act out those commitments in the world.Jerrid Kalakay 8:51 Absolutely. And are you from originally from San Diego?Rachel Christensen 8:54 Actually, I was sort of I am from California, but I was raised the much of my elementary years in New Jersey, right, right on the line to New York. So I think a lot of a lot of those early years were actually east coast. Yeah.Jerrid Kalakay 9:08 Gotcha. Gotcha. I was just so that might be why you speak so quickly. Yeah, yeah. The North North East folks in the US. Yes. And the move quick didn't move quickly. I'm originally from Connecticut. So I so I know. The reason why I asked you that question is, is I was wondering how much of your work and kind of of your of yourself is influenced by being so close to an international border, you know, with Tijuana, being right across and all the issues that come along with that, especially, you know, especially in today's world where there's, there's a lot of issues going on around borders in the US and many other streets.Rachel Christensen 9:49 Very, very influenced. And part of that's because of who my teachers were. So I went to school at another university, but also here in San Diego. And you know, I Sort of outed myself actually at a talk I did. About a year ago, where I admitted to the fact that I met I miss lots of birthday parties, final exams, classes, etc. During my undergraduate, because I was spending all my time in Tijuana. And specifically spending all my time in the boardroom, wait to come back. And so when I started, when I started sharing that story, which is just more just youthful, boldness or something, I don't know, just thinking, thinking I was going to take control of my own education, were maybe two things. One is that I realized that I was receiving my education primarily, and I wouldn't even say just antiquated I was receiving my education in the crossing in the in-between and partially because of the actual wait time to get back to the US back when I was crossing. Some of that was the height of that was in 2008 2010, which actually was when most people from San Diego stop going to Tijuana. Because of various geopolitical things and things that had to do with some cartels and conflict, and so a lot of the stuff that I learned there was influenced by that time. And by the So anyway, that in that in-between and then learning how to kind of integrate ways of being from two sides was probably the most formative thing of my life. And I kind of got it to show the board and I know sort of way not trying to be poetic, but just trying to be honest, I'm playing the border sort of chose me it wasn't something that I chose as an area of academic study or a location for friendships, it just happened. So to make all that, more explicit for the pedagogy, I mean, that was how I was taught about a lot of things when I was studying Latin it, you know, I did a degree in Latin American Studies and political administration was studying Spanish and other things. So it was a natural place for me to study those things. But now when I teach design thinking or Social Innovation, I try to do it in by cultural and balance. Will and by national context. So we have students that will come up from the quanta. It's a pretty easy trolley ride or Uber ride or etc. And they'll come to our campus often and study the same with faculty. And then I'll take students to Tijuana. And we'll do things that try to equalize the power of facilitation and allow everybody to realize that there's regional issues in common and potential solutions in common. So it's sort of by like, framework and the water we think we swim in terms of our context, so very formative for me and how I now teach.Jerrid Kalakay 12:36 You know, I love that. And I'm really interested to hear a little bit about so how do you balance and how do you balance the cultures and, and the sensitivities that need to be balanced when you have students from Tijuana and students, you know, from San Diego and everything in between? I mean, how do you do that in the classroom or in the workshop? You mentioned trying to balance and being sensitive to all those things like when you're teaching design thinking, what are some things that you do to create that safe space for everyone to be themselves?Rachel Christensen 13:13 I'm guaranteeing you I'm doing it perfectly first. I think a second thing is design thinking. I was just actually working with some women peacemakers from this network that USD manages called women. Women waging peace, which I think is brilliant. And we were talking, you know, they use design thinking in their daily work. And we were talking about how human-centered design can be used to collectivized people, particularly in the empathy stage. And so even if you're not developing sort of solutions radiating together, which generally comes next, and just the collectivization of folks is a valuable first step. And so I think using that stage empathy is critical. And I think another thing that's important and something that sometimes in higher ed, we do well and sometimes we We do for the wrong reasons but we should continue to do is you know, acknowledging positionality is important. And I am, you know, as a white woman and lots of the students I bring maybe white but many of the students that I if I'm using the example of bringing students into quanta, they're often not they're often from all over the world. And I think most of them take for granted that talent is distributed equally and opportunity is not so I think some of it is the positionality some of its empathy and the collectivization. And I think some of it is just like very practical, how people sit, how people are engaged. So circle would be better than, you know, sitting one behind another. Having some convention, whether it's raising hands or something else where people can speak. And then I think language so if we're doing it into quanta, we privilege Spanish and then translate back to English. So I think some of its the language used and so I've been to quite a few design thinking workshops. one that comes to mind is actually run by MIT D lab in partnership with some universities in Columbia and a university in the US, called Colorado School of Mines. And they did the whole process with small scale miners, most of the women, most of them very much at the edge of poverty. And so seeing design thinking used in a room where there are people that traditionally don't have a lot of power. And then people like MIT D lab, you know, educators who have a lot of access and power, I think it can be done well, definitely in perfectly. But when you privilege, maybe the language that's more comfortable to people, make sure that everybody feels comfortable through the empathy process, maybe elongate that and don't rush it. Sometimes it can take a whole day. It's not like you just do one empathy activity, and you're done. And then the ongoing last piece, and then I'll get off the potential soapbox is, is like the ongoing relationship piece. And so being able to do this in the US, Mexico Borderlands is different because we can keep going back. We can Keep making come in many cases, not all cases can cross the US and have to acknowledge that they can always cost us. But, you know, it's just so much possible to have these sustained relationships when you're 15 minutes away.Jerrid Kalakay 16:12 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And I and I think it's a relationship that causes meaningful changes. Yeah. You know, if it's not, it's not just one semester, and it's done a type of scenario. You know, and as and as academics, I think we, our predecessors, have sometimes done the one and done gone into some communities did their research and then left. And so it's really good to hear that you're very mindful of that, you know, building that relationship and realizing that anything good is going to come out of the relationship, not not the other way around. That's really, really exciting. Why do you do what you do? There's there's a million things you could probably do that would be would argue a lot easier. I've got a whole page of notes of things that you've already been talking about. I'm sure that I'm sure the University of San Diego doesn't millions of dollars a year to you. So why do you do what you do?Rachel Christensen 17:16 Yeah, I think that there'sRachel Christensen 17:19 there are those moments when you're doing. Again, it's mostly tripping into finding something that worked for my passions, my skill set, and my interests. And so I'm accidentally finding myself in spaces and then being able to have that moment of reflection, where you realize we're in this case, I realized that it feels good to be able to do great work at the like institutional level, or maybe structural change level and then do relationship work. To your point earlier, I haven't seen in my life, anybody changed their mind about anything that wasn't through meeting somebody that was from that group that they formerly didn't under, etc, etc. I mean, my main theory of change, I guess in the world is that you meet somebody and you might change your mind. And so being able to do both the sort of like institutional stuff that like checks my strategy my like, the boxes I have for strategy. And they like academic learning, and then the relational pieces that I get to do at the student level at the institutional level between universities, and all of that in between work, and I guess there are checks enough of the boxes for me that I can't really imagine I can imagine doing different work in terms of content. I can't imagine doing much else that wasn't sort of bringing people institutions together. I think I would it wouldn't check enough in my boxes and I think that would be wandering looking to get back to it. Yeah,Jerrid Kalakay 18:46 yeah, totally, totally understand that. So here's, here's my million dollar question. Because you're, you're in academia, but you're not a traditional role, and I'm not so So has your Have you figured out how to explain what you do to your family?Rachel Christensen 19:06 I'm lucky in that my dad before social entrepreneur was a thing was a social entrepreneur, and my mom now here's a board that is looking at sustainable models for housing for adults with autism. And so I would call her a social entrepreneur as well. And my sister runs a Social Innovation incubator in Boulder, Colorado. So go figure that and even though I don't think any of us would have called us, ourselves, social innovators growing up at all, we would have used different words. I think we've all found ourselves in this space. So I'm lucky in that way. Your questions valid though? can I explain it to my aunt and uncle having a harder time and so one, one thing that's helping is there is shifting language. And there's more thought leadership that's kind of like making its way out to people like my aunt and uncle, that they are reading about these conversations around like nuclear kinds of business and like might have heard of a benefit corporation, and understands that, like, a lot of charity is toxic, and we need to like rethink how we try to help people. So I think that the conversations about how we do the work and are not that hard to have. Sometimes people are surprised that a university might pay somebody to do this work because it seems it seems too abstract. But that is true a lot about people that look at the academy and don't understand what the practical benefit is. But I have less of that problem. Because I can tell me I can tell stories of students and whether or not their venture was, successful. That's not really the point. The point is I did they learn these skills that are going to help them be an entrepreneur, a change maker, wherever. And I can tell those stories, and then they can nod and understand, right?Jerrid Kalakay 20:52 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Why? And I asked that question because it was years before I finally found the language explain what I'm Doing an academic, it's my family. Because I was I was not the model student, as our as my listeners will know, in my younger years, but so obviously you're very, very talented in this kind of work and so forth. Many of our listeners may be teaching a class on design thinking or human-centered design or, or social entrepreneurship of some level of social innovation. But a vast majority of the folks that are probably out there in the US and around the world that are engaged in the academy may have interest in this, but don't know how to get started. And so obviously, what you've done and the center and the two schools coming together, that didn't happen overnight, clearly, what would you suggest to the faculty, and not by hitting by you necessarily? Yeah, but you certainly run with it, along with the rest of the folks that work in it, but what would you What advice would you give to a faculty member that wants to learn more wants to do More with their class with a class. How do they get involved in? I mean, they have to take on the world all at once? Or what would they do? What would you suggested, youRachel Christensen 22:09 know, and actually, a colleague and I, both of us are administrators. So we're not faculty. But you know, both have advanced degrees in this space. And we're actually teaching a workshop on this. And we're hoping, in about a month and we're hoping to make that actual argument, that same argument to faculty that you don't have to bite off the whole bite to get started. There are so many ways and so some of the ways that we offer are you can just ask questions. So we're trying to engage actually around Sustainable Development Goals, one of the ways is to you know, use, action-based learning, experiential learning, and maybe Social Entrepreneurship curriculum and design thinking, but it's all around the Sustainable Development Goals. And students are demanding at least our university, you know, survey that they want to have even in their like, intro to marketing class. You know, what Is this mean, for gender equity? You know you can. And some of it's just how you moderate your questions to be able to, like, engage people around some social justice issues potentially. So it could be questioned. There are so many resources online. And I don't know if there's a possibility to put links here. But I'll mention a couple. They're really easy to Google, really easy to Google, around the SD GS gap frame is one that you can go and see how different countries and regions are doing around different Sustainable Development Goals. And so you can interact with charts and that's a great way to start conversation in a class and could allow you know, somebody who's teaching something around anything for in the math department, for example, where you're having to figure out how to display information that would be a way to engage with this content, but being able to continue to teach your module but then there are also so many resources, I think, as you know, and you would have more to share to around sign thinking, certainly ideas around Social Entrepreneurship. Certainly, acumen comes to Mine, among others. And, you know the power of YouTube to I mean, something general as storytelling might lead to many results on YouTube. But I, when I'm preparing for a workshop, I often will try to find content from different areas coming from different voices. So I often will just kind of look to see what video content out there some of its very good, but almost all this stuff is open source. And then your last last thing I'll say is if somebody is wanting to get started, you can always start at home so that this like, you know, very famous book these days, designing your life is something that any faculty member could start reading and applying to their life and we've had quite a lot of faculty do that at USD. And then you start having that being approach, you know, experiment, to get more information to bias towards action, and making sure that you start with your own why and understanding what the actual problem is the defining stage, all those things then become like an approach that you would bring to everything. So those are like some ways that wouldn't require a lot of time or like a year's lead time to just get started and trying. And some things like in this in this design thinking space, you maybe have to let go of some of the control, some things will fall on their face and some things will stick. And that's how you learn with your students and they'll teach you toJerrid Kalakay 25:26 absolutely, that's fantastic it's a fantastic answer. Thank you. Yeah. So what keeps you going? Where do you go to recharge? Are there are there conferences? Are there certain types of books you like to read that keep you motivated? Because I'm sure that there's obviously tough days, like in any, any job or any profession, there are good days and there are bad days. And so what do you have when you have a tough go of it? What do you turn to?Rachel Christensen 25:54 Yes, it's a great question. I mean, I think like many folks, you know, friends and family and I think the peace officers there is certainly being you know just being seen by people where you don't have to you know, you can kind of take the mask off that we sometimes put on is a thing but I think also just conversation partners I have so many friends who are lawyers or are environmental activists or you know work in business and don't have an explicit some of the social change peace but they are so strange person and just having conversations around work 21st century work? What really to answer your question what really helps me recharge sometimes is being I guess I belong in the academy maybe being philosophical about these things instead of focusing hyper-focusing on the individual challenges or sometimes politics helps me to zoom out maybe it would be part of the answer. And zooming out also can happen to your you know, your suggestion, either in conferences or can meetings, I'm lucky that I get to chat with our partner University from all over the world all the time, on Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, text, message, whatever. And so I feel like I'm often in good company because I'm often working with my counterpart and other universities and that always helps us zoom out to realize a lot of these things are trends not work at all. And we're in it together. And then I think that the big thing for me is this like I'm very I benefit a lot from a lot of folks in San Diego who tried to make my neighborhood more walkable so walking my neighborhood, meeting people consuming and small businesses. A lot of them found it you know, San Diego has received traditionally lots of refugees and asylum seekers. So there's many businesses, micro-businesses, many of them that sell great food and coffee, very close to my house, and to go and see sort of like the power of community and be able to just like sit and enjoy food or coffee across generations and any other boundary who might have always recharges me and connects me back because like the whole so the real answer is probably walking around my neighborhood with nobody agenda and trying to turn off the ideas.Jerrid Kalakay 28:03 Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. That's, that's awesome. Yeah, I had a colleague A number of years ago who, who got a dog just so that they would be forced to walk and and and be outdoors. Do you know? So what would you hope three years from now? What would you hope the country of the United States you'd be dealing with? What do you hope, the design thinking and that entire movement and social entrepreneur movement in general, but what do you hope and things would look like?Rachel Christensen 28:36 Well, I certainly hope that on the US level that we could magically shift to be able to practice in the model or civil dialogue. I think that without having to have agenda for changing anybody's mind if we could spend more time in conversation with people, that would be both an important step on That design process to thinking about our democracy, but also would be something that would shift a lot of the heart the harmful conversations I think we have. So that would be my hope for my country. And for in terms of this space, and so some furniture been signed thinking, the way I see it going, which I think is a promising trend. I just worried the same way I worry about greenwashing or anytime there seems to be more substance or more hype in the corporate social responsibility, etc, than the actual substance. I hope we put our money where our mouth is in the trend I see happening, which is more of the conversation happening around equity and community. So there's a lot of design thinking for firms that are trying to send her equity in the conversation. So design thinking as a way to sort of shift power dynamics is a powerful possibility. Again, when centered this the way that we tried to send her humans in the process, centering equity, and then having a lot of a lot more case studies around community entrepreneurs. worship and team-based entrepreneurship rather than by an individual or by an outsider. Since it was made from hidden, formerly hidden assets within a group, I think that's where we're going. I think we're moving away from Hero ownership and towards featuring and supporting teams, and with complementary skills and different backgrounds. So I think it's encouraging. And I would hope that we do that in a way that would change some structuralRachel Christensen 30:30 barriers.Jerrid Kalakay 30:32 Awesome. Awesome. Well, Rachel, she's been absolutely wonderful. Is there anything else? Is there anything else you'd like to share with the listeners before we end?Rachel Christensen 30:43 I guess I wouldRachel Christensen 30:46 like to share my experiences that I think this is obvious to most of us that are in the education space, but students learn a lot more from who you are, then what you say. And I think that that's not to put extra pressure on us because We're not supposed to be perfect. But just to to remember that especially in this space, many of us, maybe would recognize ourselves as social innovators, maybe would embrace the term change maker. But the way that we the way that we live in the way that we treat people is probably the best way to teach our students how to be different kinds of leaders and people in the world. So keep doing it.Jerrid Kalakay 31:23 Till next time, be nice and change some stuff. 

On today's episode, we are joined by authors Narayan Sundararajan and Jacen Green to discuss their newly published book "The Rule of One: The Power of Intrapreneurship". We discuss the journey of Grameen-Intel Social Business a partnership between Grameen and Intel Corporation from the beginning to now 9-years later.  We also discuss the desire of the authors to share the successes and failures of their social business to inspire other corporations and individuals to pursue untraditional partnerships to improve the world.  

In today's episode, host Jerrid Kalakay takes us on a journey into the concept of balance and how it applies to his life. Is balance possible? We have all heard the phrase "work/life balance," and is it possible what other types of balance do we truly need for the long-term. Jerrid proposes thinking about balance as different seasons and what is necessary for our lives for each season. Transcript Jerrid Kalakay 0:09 Welcome to the Teaching Change podcast, where we explore issues social entrepreneurship, education, and innovation. I'm your host, Jerrid Kalakay. So in today's episode, we're going to be talking about finding balance. What does that mean? How does someone go about finding balance? And is it even possible? So on a previous episode, we talked about basically recharging your batteries, and understanding the need to restore oneself to stay in the game for the long haul. And the finding balance everyone talks about work-life balance.Jerrid Kalakay 0:46 Is that a real existence? Is that even possible? You know, the thing that's difficult about finding balance is what are you finding balance with? So a lot of times people talk about their personal lifeJerrid Kalakay 0:59 and theJerrid Kalakay 1:00 Their work-life, you know, and then balancing the two or balancing one's family life with their friends' life, or balancing your work life with your family, friends, personal growth, all those kinds of things.Jerrid Kalakay 1:18 I think it's a work in progress for pretty much everyone I don't know if anyone has would say, honestly, they found complete balance because it's, it's an ever-moving target, right?Jerrid Kalakay 1:31 You feel like you're doing pretty well. And then you get thrown a curveball.Jerrid Kalakay 1:37 You feel like you're on top of the world, and then all of a sudden you backslide, or tumble down the front of the hill, all the way down to the bottom. And so it's kind of a constant struggle, a continuous battle to try to figure out where is your balance and where can it be I know for me in my life as a professor as a social entrepreneur.Jerrid Kalakay 2:00 As a father, as a husband, as a son balance is ever elusive, many times, I'm trying to continually figure out what's the right amount of work to put in here, whether it be in my personal life or whether it be in my work life, whether it be my, my academic life, so forth and so on. And I think that it's probably a healthy conversation to have with yourself, not only with yourself but also with your family, with your friends, if you have a partner, so forth to really try to figure out what, what right now and this exact stage of my life, what does balance look like? What could balance look like?Jerrid Kalakay 2:41 And I don't know if it's, I don't think it's going to be a perfectly balanced thing. Like I'm looking, I'm thinking about a seesaw, you know, and I'm, I'm looking for, you know, what point is a seesaw utterly horizontal with the ground. Very rarely have I ever in my life and all the playgrounds that I've taken my kidsJerrid Kalakay 3:00 too, and probably all the playgrounds I've ever gone to as a child myself, have I ever seen a seesaw exactly horizontal with the ground?Jerrid Kalakay 3:10 And so using that as a metaphor for life, is it possible to have a perfectly balanced life to have your work? Have your academics or your extracurricular activities, your clubs, your organizations, the things you do on the weekends, your family? All the requirements that go along with with having a family and so forth is is it ever going to be a possibility that it's going to be perfectly balanced?Jerrid Kalakay 3:39 I don't think so. I think the answer to that question is no. And the reason why I say that is because I believe at certain times, it naturally should not be in balance ultimately, right. You've got a deadline and work, and so that's probably going to, you know, coming up that's going to be it's going to take a little bit more energy from you.Jerrid Kalakay 3:57 One of your children gets sick if you are fortunate.Jerrid Kalakay 4:00 have to have kids, or we know one of your dogs or animals get sick or your partner gets sick, or you get sick, then you know, obviously that's going to take energy away from your work.Jerrid Kalakay 4:12 If you're pursuing if you're on a softball league or you're in a bowling league, or you know anything like that, if something goes wrong with that, and you're having a tough season or tough go of it, that might take more energy to try to try to remedy that situation try to get better at whatever it is you're trying to do. Right. And so I think it's natural to kind of oscillate between projects and activities and things that you're doing. And not necessarily be super caught up with everything has to be 5050, you know, exactly even across the board or 3333 33 and don't forget about the third and each one of those.Jerrid Kalakay 4:50 That's probably not a healthy way to do things. I think a much more robust is to realize that with each season, different things are going to be taking our energy andJerrid Kalakay 5:00 Our focus and so what we need to do, and what I need to do more telling myself than I am, my listeners are, is to realize that every season requires different things from us and that we need to be able to focus on those things and not feel guilty aboutJerrid Kalakay 5:20 that, and then paying more attention to one thing over another,Jerrid Kalakay 5:25 You know, realizing that the season will pass and that there'll be a new season and the new season will require something different from us. I think that's what right balances. I think, in the end. That's what we really matter. You know, what do we spend our time doing, and how we do it on a day to day basis is essential. But I think in the long run, it's much more critical that we're in balance.Jerrid Kalakay 5:50 On the long haul, you know, the long term for short term, so many things in this world, come down to the long time versus short time, you know, what can we get done now in the short termJerrid Kalakay 6:00 You know, whatever that looks like, that's a day, a week, 30 days, 90 days a quarter, or whatever it might be, versus the long term, you know, what, what will matter a year from now, what will matter two years from now or four years from now?Jerrid Kalakay 6:15 The short term versus long term folds into the seasons, and that concept I was talking about earlier with trying to figure out what the season of now is, and how you can find balance overall in those seasons. You know, with this being said, you know, I'm not advocating that anyone forget that they have a family for six months to get a project done at work. That's not what I'm saying. That probably wouldn't Bode very well for you, or your family, for that matter. Likewise, I'm not saying that suggesting that you forget about the fact that you have to go to work from you know, nine to five or whatever you whatever your work looks like because you know, something's going on in your personal life.Jerrid Kalakay 6:58 But rather, maybe thisJerrid Kalakay 7:00 It's a day or two that you need to spend in the office only and not worrying about other things. And perhaps or maybe the exact opposite is a day or two or so that you need to spend away from the office and not worrying about anything but your personal life or your family life. And being honest with yourself, and being honest with those around you, both your employer or the folks you work with, and also your family about kind of where you are, I think is right. And I think that's a healthy scenario. I think a lot of times people try to deal mainly, men that I know, myself included, try to deal with everything on their own. I know I get caught in that often. Where I'm trying to deal with things entirely by myself, you know, if I, if I'm not able to do this and work, then people will think less of me they will need they won't think I'm as productive. They won't think I'm as good as I would like them to, you know if I can't deal with something in my personal life and my family life. You know,Jerrid Kalakay 8:00 Well, what would that mean? So I mean, I'm not a good husband, I'm not a good father, I'm not a good son, so forth these all these kind of negative concepts, negative thoughts, that kind of go could go and permeate our mindsJerrid Kalakay 8:16 Exists when we're trying to find a balance that may not be exactly possible. But when we're open and we're honest with the people that are in our lives, whether they be employees, employers, people we work with in general, our families, our friends, about where we are and what season we believe we are in and kind of what's on our plate. I think that we will more easily find balance in our own lives and in doing so will be much more successful on all fronts. And so, I'm inquisitive I'm interested in finding out from you all as, as my listeners as our listeners.Jerrid Kalakay 9:00 What do you see balance? As? Do you believe finding balance is possible? What is finding balance mean to you? You know, one of the things that I grew up on as a professional in higher education was taught was in graduate school andJerrid Kalakay 9:20 in graduate school at Florida State University in their higher ed program shut out to FSUJerrid Kalakay 9:26 Not doing so well in football, but that's okay. They're still doing well in the classroom. So good, good, good going. But in Tallahassee, Florida, Florida State, I will I went there for my Master's in science in higher education. And one of the very first things one of my professors talked about was finding work-life balance, and how can we do that as professionals, and I remember thinking as a 20, something-year-old and a professional preparation program toJerrid Kalakay 10:00 To work as a professional at an at a, you know, university or college, and we're thinking, wow, you know, the, that's probably not that big of a deal. Like I don't need to worry about finding balance because I'm just going to go out and I'm going to do the best job I could do. And I want to make a name for myself this in this field of higher education.Jerrid Kalakay 10:20 And I dismissed it all. And I think a lot of my classmates did as well. I don't believe that any of us focus the time and energy that we needed to on having a conversation with ourselves about what that could look like. And I think partly because it's all in the abstract.Jerrid Kalakay 10:37 You know, when you start to think about what your life is going to be after x or after y,Jerrid Kalakay 10:45 whatever those x's and y's are, whether they're the graduate program, law school, medical school, college in general, after you get married, you buy your house, you you know, whatever, whatever those X & Y's are you, you start to thinkJerrid Kalakay 11:00 Somewhat intellectually about what that's going to be like, but you don't know what it is. It's all in the abstract. Right? You never you don't know what it's like being a parent until you become a parent if you happen to be fortunate enough to do that, you don't know it's like to get married until you get married. Right if you're lucky enough to do that, you don't know what it's like to buy a car house, you know, so forth like you, you know what it is intellectually, but fully, you don't have any idea. So it's the same. It was the same thing for me when I heard about the work-life balance in graduate school. And it wasn't until many years into my professional life,Jerrid Kalakay 11:38 that I start to realize that I needed to take some time for myself and my relationship.Jerrid Kalakay 11:46 And for my partner and for, for our life together and so forth. And it was a long, hard roadJerrid Kalakay 11:55 and lesson for me to learn because what I was basicallyJerrid Kalakay 12:00 Doing is I was trying to make the most significant impact in my professional life as possible. And so, you know, eight 910 15 hours a day, you know, working during the day and then going to events in the afternoon in the afternoon or evening for workJerrid Kalakay 12:22 was perfectlyJerrid Kalakay 12:25 Perfectly acceptable, not only accept the Buddha is encouraged. So I would work, you know, my nine to five, and thenJerrid Kalakay 12:33 I worked in campus activities, so I put up to put on events and concerts and different things, which is a lot of fun. But it also still works. And so I would get home at you know, midnight, or one o'clock in the morning sometimes. And I did this pretty extensively for the Liesl first, on a three-four. If you asked my wife probably ten years of my professional lifeJerrid Kalakay 13:00 I what I did in that is yes, I've made somewhat a name for myself at some level.Jerrid Kalakay 13:07 But in doing that, I also neglected a lot of things I neglected myself my well being, and I neglected my relationship, I neglected my life outside of my work completely.Jerrid Kalakay 13:25 And in the long run, that will never work. In the short term, it might have worked well in a particular focused area, but it won't work in the long run. And I and I still have a lot of colleaguesJerrid Kalakay 13:38 Who I knew from that time, that that seem to be still doing that same thing or the seem to be still trapped in that same rat race. So I encourage you to think about, you know, what, what does balance look like for your life? What season Are you in? have that balance, you know, where do you think you need more excellent stability? Where do you think youJerrid Kalakay 14:00 Let's balance. Do you feel like you're in pursuit of that, that balance for yourself? And I would, and I would argue that and ask you is if you don't feel balanced, do you feel rewarded by that imbalance or you burdened by that imbalance?Jerrid Kalakay 14:24 And that's pretty it's a pretty profound concept. So do you feel rewarded by that unbalanced? So if you are,Jerrid Kalakay 14:31 whether it be in work or your personal life, are you getting the rewards wherever they may be for that imbalance or are you being penalized or you beingJerrid Kalakay 14:43 Martyred or hurt by that imbalance? And realize that whether you're being rewarded or whether that imbalance is punishing you that the pendulum Chloe swing the other way,Jerrid Kalakay 14:57 that your reward today could be a punishment tomorrow.Jerrid Kalakay 15:00 vice versa.Jerrid Kalakay 15:02 And the pendulum swings. Like I said both ways, the door swings both ways the pendulum swings both ways, whatever metaphor you want to use. So what we're rewarded for today might be what we're punished for tomorrow.Jerrid Kalakay 15:16 And that's something that we all have to deal with, and we have to think about it. And so I would, I would encourage you to think about where's your balance? And where can your balance take you? And what does that look like? For social entrepreneurs for social innovators, balance is a really, really, really important concept. Because of balancing the the triple bottom line that people profit planets, they're they're balancing the social value creation, the doing well in the world, with the profit and the profit-taking models, the revenue, and so there's a lot of balance to be found in that there's a balance of the storytelling. How muchJerrid Kalakay 16:00 How much of the story do you tell versus how much of the money do you try to make? You know, and realizing that you as one individual, as a social entrepreneur, social innovator can't do everything all at once? Right? You've got to build a team. Again, that is balanced. And soJerrid Kalakay 16:18 What does that look like in each one of your lives? I encourage you to spend some time this next week, thinking about that, analyzing that figuring that out. And then I will we will talk next time.Jerrid Kalakay 16:34 Thank you for helping me kind of figure out some of my balance. This is an I have not done a single show. Just by myself in a while, I've had only guests on, and this week, I thought that we would like that I would analyze balance a little bit with you all, just as Jerrid Kalakay not as Jerrid Kalakay interviewing someone so I appreciate it. Hopefully, you enjoyed this episode.Jerrid Kalakay 17:00 Your listenership, you probably noticed that we'd redone our website we've redone Teaching Change podcast calm. We've also rebranded some of our stuff for our third season, which debuted last week.Jerrid Kalakay 17:15 Appreciate and honor your journey with us, and if you dig our podcasts you dig the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or Stitcher, or the highest compliment would be to share us with one of your friends. Till next time, be nice and change some stuff 

On today's episode, we learn about an innovative partnership between the U.S. Department of State's Office of Global Women's Issues, Rollins College, and Tupperware Brands called The Global Links program. Recorded at the Ashoka U Exchange 2019 in San Diego, California.  Our guests include Dr. Mary Conway Dato-on, Crummer Associate Professor of International Business and Social Entrepreneurship; Yasmin Mesbah, Program Coordinator; and Dr. Denise Delboni, Professor of Labor Law, Compliance, and Labor and Employment Relations at Fundacao Getulio Vargas and Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing in Brazil. LinksWebpage: https://www.rollins.edu/business/news/global-links.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/Tupperware.Brands.Global.Links/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/global.links.us/Blog: https://globallinksus.wordpress.com/author/globallinksprogram/Contact Info: globallinks@rollins.edu  TranscriptJerrid Kalakay 0:09 Welcome to the Teaching Change podcast, where we explore issues of Social Entrepreneurship, Education, and Innovation. I'm your host, Jerrid Kalakay. So welcome. We're so excited to have you on Teaching Change and to talk about some really exciting things with you. We are currently recording at the Ashoka Exchange 2019 in San Diego, California. So, unfortunately, it's been raining here, but nonetheless, that we won't let that dampen our spirits. So we have some really exciting guests today. And I'll let them introduce themselves and talk a little bit about their work. And then we'll kind of go from there.Mary Conway Dato-on 0:45 I am Mary Conway that goes on. I am a faculty member at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. And there I am the Cornell scholar for social entrepreneurship and international business. But all the roles that I do today, one of the most exciting ones, and the one I hope we can talk about with you today. Jerrid is about the global links program. And so I am the faculty mentor and sort of all-around girl Friday of different things related to global links.Jerrid Kalakay 1:18 Fantastic.Yasmin Mesbah 1:20 So I am Yasmin Mesbah And I am the Global Links Program Manager. So I kind of just manages everything that has to do with all the links. And I'm also right now an adjunct professor for the Social Entrepreneurship department at Rollins College. So it's a lot of fun just working with all of this kind of opportunities to inspire change-making in different fields.Jerrid Kalakay 1:43 Awesome, Yasmin, can you explain a little bit about what global links program is?Yasmin Mesbah 1:49 Sure. So global links, it's a public-private partnership between Tupperware brands, Rollins College and the US State Department's Office of Global Women's Issues. And it was founded in 2011, with the purpose of empowering female entrepreneurs and developing countries. So the way the program is structured is over, it takes place over three phases. So we start by bringing over a female professor to be our global scholar from a developing country. And she spent about, she spends a semester at Rollins college followed by a month or two months externship at to her brands. And during that time, she kind of learns different concepts of social entrepreneurship and how she can implement those learnings have changed making theory and practice back in her home country once she returns. Fantastic. Yeah. So once you're in terms of success, exactly what she does, so she partners with NGOs and universities. And the structure of phase two is then that she partners one student with one female entrepreneur, so the student works with the female entrepreneur for about four, six months to just address different business issues that the entrepreneur faces in three different areas. So it's business development, female empowerment, and then social and environmental issues that she's having in her business. So the students do that for about four to six months. And at the end of that, we do a three 360 degrees evaluation of the students. And based on that we select five students who we designate as global links change-makers, who then return to Rollins college for a two-week immersion program.Jerrid Kalakay 3:32 Wow, wow. And how long has the Global Links program been in existence?Yasmin Mesbah 3:36 So it was founded in 2011. And so far, we have had a completed three cycles, our first scholar was from Iraq. And then we had two scholars from India. And we just welcomed our fourth scholar from Brazil. And yeah, so we just started our fourth cycle in January of this year.Jerrid Kalakay 3:57 Fantastic and fantastic. And also with us, current global links, scholar.Denise Delboni 4:02 Yes, I'm Denise Delboni professor in Brazil, I teach labor law and labor relations there. But here I am a global link. scholar and I have been learning so much about Social Entrepreneurship in Social Innovation, it would be a great idea to we can spread these ideas in Brazil to Absolutely, absolutely. And what brought you to the program? I mean, how did you hear about the global links program? And, and how'd you get involved? Because you're the first global link scholar from Brazil? Yeah.So how did you didn't know, I didn't know about the program. But when I decided to apply, I could see that it was so important not only to empower female entrepreneurs, but also to bring the students together with us, and especially maybe inspire them to take part of problems related to the community in Brazil. So it's a different kind of program. Definitely, it's different from whatever program you can imagine. So that's why I think it's so inspiring and so enthusiastic about there is absolute,Jerrid Kalakay 5:05 and how long have you been in the States? WeDenise Delboni 5:08 are one month, okay, for one month, and enough time, we enough time to learn so much about the things, what we are going to expect with this program here? And what have you have been doing here related to these programs, and especially the results that they had a ninja with the last scholar, gobbling scholar?Jerrid Kalakay 5:30 So how have you seen? I'm sure your mind must be going a million miles an hour? Being in a brand new environment, a different country? How do you see social entrepreneurship with your labor relations lens and labor law? What implications Do you think social entrepreneurs or social entrepreneurship has for your discipline?Denise Delboni 5:55 I would say that in Brazil, it's very difficult. It's a huge country, of course, you have lots of things, diversity is related to the kind of other business around, of course, for any serious reasons. But if you think about the women in Brazil, and especially the moment that they decide to hire someone to work with them, it's very complicated. And I think that maybe the students can bring some ideas to this kind of possibilities in Brazil, thinking about different kinds of contracts, labor contracts, for instance, or maybe trying to help the entrepreneurs to run their businesses. So I think we have lots of opportunities related to that. And that thing, how to think about the businesses growing in Brazil, especially the small ones, and especially with this problem that we have related to loss, we have a very restricted, we have very difficult, that will have a very tough loss. We have very tough laws in Brazil. And that's why sometimes the people think twice before running a business thereJerrid Kalakay 7:00 Laws kind of prevents people from jumping into entrepreneurship appropriately, so difficult.Denise Delboni 7:05 And even this way we have today we have maybe 52% of the entrepreneurs there for me, male entrepreneurs. So even this way we can help them It can empower this woman to run their businesses. And of course, thinking about these students that set the point to help them or to not to coach them and orient them how to do the best way. Absolutely.Jerrid Kalakay 7:29 Absolutely. And Mary from you know, working in Crummer and and being the host institution, and I understand that you serve as kind of a quasi host, personally, to the to the scholars that come over, what kind of things have you kind of experienced or did you not expect when you first signed on to the program?Mary Conway Dato-on 7:50 That's a great question. And I'll tell you one of the things that one of my mentors who is now retired from Crummer, Susan Bach, talk to us talk to me about when I first started this project, right, so our first caller was from Iraq. And then she met, Susan met the second scholar from India from east of energy. She said, you know, Mary, what you're really doing here, and I said, know what's happening. She said, you're collecting sisters, you're developing a network of, of sisters of deep friendships and deep connections that are going to permeate not only your life and her life but the lives of your students and the lives of her family. And so, you know, as we talked about change-making, right, we should always sort of focus first, I think on us, right? What am I doing? What am I looking to change in my life? What am I looking to understand more about the world? And, for me, this program has first introduced me to three countries that I really don't know a lot about, even though I consider myself pretty International. So learning and working with a woman from Iraq, and it in a post-conflict situation and seeing the strength of her work and the long term resilience, right? We talked a lot of resilience and Social Entrepreneurship, that she has to not only implement small curricular changes, but she took back an entire program around career development and career coaching. Because what the situation was in Iraq is you have very intelligent women who are coming out of the universities, but they didn't know how to position themselves for that next step in their life. And so the beauty of this program, just like we teach, right, in international marketing is what do you adapt? And what do you standardize, and so for each of these three countries, we've had to make some slight changes to that? So I've seen what I teach in the classroom also manifest itself, and the energy that the professors bring, like Denise and Xiaomi, certain Roomba, and Mel, and then what their students bring is so inspiring and energizing, that it makes me want to do do this all again, it makes me want to do it five times more, find more sponsors, find more scholars, because that leads to more students and the women entrepreneurs that have been so positively affected and are now like sustainable in their business. So that was a really long answer. But it just shows that every time I get talking about this, it's really bringing to life, what we do. And we've also published quite a bit, you know, as a professor, we always have to think about how do we take what we're doing, whether it's pedagogy, right, the pedagogy of teaching, and the pedagogy of creating a program like this. And then also, how you take cross-cultural issues and look at those from someone who's come from another country. Absolutely. It's been cool. And I think the last thing is, we've now had six, I'm looking at Yes, me because he asked me was before she was a program manager, she was a graduate assistant with us. And we had dinner not too long ago with four of the graduate assistants who are still in this area. And so it has really catapulted their careers, as well as the careers for the Changemaker students who are coming from Iraq and India. So it's, it's been fun.Jerrid Kalakay 11:29 Yeah, that's, that's amazing. I would imagine that most of that you could have never imagined.Mary Conway Dato-on 11:35 No, you know what's so crazy. And this is really great, like, opportunity knocks in lots of different phases in ways. So, literally, I just got this call from the dean, and he's like, I'm gonna send you an email, I don't really understand what it means. But he's like the person who's always crazy enough to try something that's not fully baked. So give it a chance. And I got this email from Tupperware brands. And it was, we have this idea to start a program. We don't know what it's going to look like. We don't. But we want to train the trainers, we want to train the professors who turn to train the students who train the great so we can have this ripple effect. We talked about going out there. And we didn't know what we are doing. And God loves the scholars think. I hope Denise will find a little more structure now that we're in our fourth round of scholar, I've literally called her on the phone and I said, Hi, this is Mary, you applied to this program. You might you know, you know, you don't know me, but she's like, Yeah, can you call me back tomorrow? Because it was this crazy call from America coming? live with us for nine months. And then I called her back the next day. She's like, okay, so you really this is real, right? This is really good. So from that, she each color teaches us so much about how to adjust the program, we started out as me were just thinking about the five C's, right? So the program has a structure around coaching, curriculum, community, culture, and career. And then the focus then depends on what works for the scholar what their country needs, and what their students need. And so that's what we started with a phone call and five C's and fate, like, just jump in, just get dirty and make it happen.Jerrid Kalakay 13:26 Yeah, it's pretty funny. Well, that's awesome. That's awesome. And he has been now as the program kind of coordinator, is that your title program? Turner? Yeah, Program Manager. I'm sure. I'm sure that there's a lot more intentionality and a lot more structure in it now then, you know, kind of what Mary was talking about, where it was literally a phone call and said, Hey, call me back tomorrow, because I think you're pretending it and when you call back tomorrow was like, Okay, this is might be real, I'm sure. It's a lot more, a lot more structure. Now. With that being said, You're still probably inventing a lot. And you know, whenever you move into a new country, it is all new stuff. And with every scholar is a completely new set of challenges and so forth. What have been some of the most rewarding experiences that you've had? Because I'm sure there's a lot of legwork that you have to put in it leading up to. And there's also a lot of stakeholders, right? There are a private corporation Tupperware brands, and then there's an educational institution Rollins, and then there's the scholars and their home country and the US State Department. And I mean, that's a lot of stuff going on. So So how does it all come together?Yasmin Mesbah 14:40 I mean, for me, personally, it's very rewarding, that I am able to combine this idea of social excellence with professional achievement. So I feel like it's very fitting to talk about this, now that we're here at a showcase. This is kind of a theme that they bring up over and over. And this is exactly what I'm able to do. Right. So I was able to apply my MBA education into something that needs as you said, there's a lot of partners, there's a lot of stakeholders, there's a lot of things that you kind of have to go with the flow and figure that as you're going. So they needed someone who was able to kind of has this critical thinking analytical skills, open mind adaptability. So I was able to apply all of those things that I've learned over time, but in a way that was not just focused on how do I make more money out of this, but how do I give back. So for me, it's also very rewarding for me to be able to then help these students who we mentor who we work with, to achieve the same thing. So help them figure out the skills that they would need in order to be giving back to their communities. But at the same time developing these soft skills, these leadership skills, this leadership potential for them to then go on and continue to be change-makers in their communities. But then it even if this is not exactly the field that they want to pursue, they can pursue other avenues where they would achieve things that they never thought would be accessible to them. We've had students work with us who come from lower to a middle socio-economic class who don't have access to a lot of resources. And by the time that they were done with the program, they got positions at companies like PwC, and Deloitte, which is just amazing for us to see. So for me to just see the impact that these students go through to see just even in the two weeks that they come for their immersion to see the transformation that they go through and becoming more confident becoming more able to speak up in front of an audience full of a room full of people they have never met with an idea they just came up with and to just do that with complete comfort, when they wouldn't even be able to do that at a table of just five or six of their peers at the beginning. It's incredible, it makes it all worth it.Jerrid Kalakay 17:02 That's, that's remarkable. I mean, most educators will spend their entire life looking for an experience like that, because in education, most of the time, we don't get to see the fruits of our labor. You know, we are planting seeds. And then our students might not grow that semester, or may not grow in the next two years or three years. And to be able and so oftentimes, us as faculty, or as higher education professionals in general, are educators in general, we don't get to see that results as quickly. So I can only imagine how powerful it must be to have this intensive experience. And the students were only here for two weeks. And to see that growth. So many, so many educators never get to see that. And so that's really a true gift.Mary Conway Dato-on 17:55 You know, if I can say also Jerrid the other thing that I love about this program, I see it from the perspective of seeing yes means growth, and the other graduate assistants. When we put a problem, we practice what we are teaching in terms of social change, right? We put a problem on the table, and we say, all right, we have to we have 500 Indian students, and we have to get down to30. Wow,I put that on the table. What is that going to look like? What's your idea of the scholar? What's your idea to a graduate assistant? Okay, and we've got varying levels of English and we don't want to discriminate or to eliminate the better word, eliminate someone, because their English is not yet confident, or as he has been said because they can't verbalize right. And so yes, mean. And through this brainstorming process, right, we developed a whole way to get students to demonstrate empathy, to demonstrate leadership, and, and speaking and evaluate each other. And so that's part of what you were talking about the systemization of the program, still flexible. But we literally just put in front of them a picture and said, What, and it was a picture of a real situation in India. And we said, talk about amongst your team five, what is the social issue? See here? What is the environmental issue you see here, and getting them to talk about that from their different perspectives, and then take them to the next level of all right, each of you take one-minute silent reflection, write down an idea? And then right back to the table, share your idea, right? super basic things but suffer an Indian student had never been asked to do that before, right? They're the very role in learning. And now as a team come together, and a consensus of have an idea building on the five ideas, or the six ideas that you just shared, and do it in in a way that demonstrates listening, and empathy and and then we empowered the change-makers from the year before to help us evaluate the situation, which again, as foreigners, right, neither Yes, me nor I are Indian. Those students provide for us the context of No, this is appropriate in our culture. This is not this is why that happened. And so they help us to evaluate, it was really empowering to see the development of that evaluation tool to go to India and watch that too. And then to your point, come back and say, okay, what's working? Now, as we look going to Brazil, to think that same way? How do we go from who knows how many, once Denise gets back home and starts talking about it to the other schools in Sao Paulo in Brazil? What are we going to do to move from 500? To 30? Because that's all we can take in the program and one round? And then how do we go from 32? Five? And how do we use those students to help select and the scholars and entrepreneurs right, yeah, that 360 reviews?Jerrid Kalakay 21:09 Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Well, and, and, and you're kind of going off of that Denise, you know, kind of hearing your colleagues here, talk about the previous scholars, and then kind of how the system works, and so forth. And I know you're only a month in.Denise Delboni 21:26 With that being said, What do you hope will happen? What do you hope will be the response? In Brazil, we mentioned in one of the sessions here at a game of soccer, that it's so difficult for countries like Brazil having this kind of awards related to Social Innovation or Social Entrepreneurship. So we have some awards related to the best students in the class, the best student in finance, the best statistic, so we pay attention, or at least I think that in countries like Brazil, we are paying attention to different subjects difference issues. So that's why I think it's so important to introduce this kind of mindset there, especially related to good, very good top-rated universities and colleges there. So I think they are waiting too much for us to especially my bosses, it because I teach in two different colleges, I think I'm sure and think that I there are waiting, you're waiting for our return to related to this kind of engagement, I'm saved first, first thing engagement, part of the students in more than that, making these students helping another kind of sector, thinking about the different means for partnership. And I think it's so important for them to have this helping coming from the universities. So I hope that he will definitely they will be engaged in this kind of program to some amazing, so good one.Jerrid Kalakay 22:57 And Mary talked about culture, and not being of the cultures that are coming that the scholars are from, how do you think culturally, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation work with female entrepreneurs? How do you think culturally, Brazilians will respond?Denise Delboni 23:17 We have a problem there related to unemployment nowadays, I don't know if you saw that. But you have something like 13 or 14, that it's the rate and that we have nowadays employment? And the question is that most part of our population is not prepared. Thinking about skills are the skills required by great companies. So they are not prepared to enter this kind of market. And that's why sometimes they think about running their own business. But of course, they don't have skills also, to try to do this kind of immigration migration. So I think it's so important to be empowered and empower in this case, it means that bring some knowledge that we have inside universities, in this kind of a direction, you know, trying to help someone to make their own money, especially talking about the women because they are now the chief of families in Brazil, most part of them. So it's so important to have this kind of help coming from universities.Mary Conway Dato-on 24:21 You know, as as you say that, Denise, would what you're reminding me of is this expression, and I'm not sure I have it, right. So maybe someone at the table can get it exactly right. But it's you to you think you know, something, but when you are required to teach it to another, that's when you really come to thoroughly understand it, right. And so what the students say is maybe to your point, and he's in the classroom, they're doing very well, they're getting A's because they have this way of studying and they knew and their whole life, they've followed that way. So now we say okay, so you think you understand accounting, now go to this woman's micro business or small business, and help her to construct an accounting system that separates her family expenses from her business expenses, that is sustainable, so don't come in with a big Excel spreadsheet, that she's not going to be able to understand or that she doesn't have her own computer to maintain it. So how are you going to break down a complex system like financial management in a way that you can explain it? And that's when the students start to really go? Oh,Denise Delboni 25:32 and then they go, Okay, I got it. I got it. I got it. And you see the change that Yes, me, I think that's so important. And especially because they know that in Brazil, we have not this eight 5 % of the companies and small ones. So they are not the big ones, and they offer the employment that we need in our country. So I think that's why the first experience for some students would be great, talking about small companies. So in this aspect of think, it will be great to program for them because they are not used to pay attention sometimes to small businesses. Yeah. And I think this is the first step that we can arrive and resume a bit and try to tell the students that you have opportunities to act as a code for a woman, for instance, to start her businesses. So I think it's great, the great idea, yeah, and more than that, I would say that we learn too much with the students to, as they said in one in one of the session, we learn too much. But we have to, to pay attention to them. And this program, it brings this kind of attention that we need, when you call the students to take part in it, of course, we will have ears to listen to them. So it will be great to help the female entrepreneurs there. And more than that, trying to bring the students to our reality. Because of some, some universities, they don't pay too much attention to this subject. But we need that in Brazil, an absolute class we need trying to be a developed country, but we have to pay attention to our problems nowadays.Jerrid Kalakay 27:05 Yeah, and, and entrepreneurship, especially social entrepreneurship could be a great thing for our country, especially in a developing country. And I especially like because of the because you're focusing on female entrepreneurs, which most of the time are overlooked or not included in the economic engines. And there's an incredible talent pool. That's there. So it's very, it's very exciting. In terms of day to day operations, day to day experiences that you're having here in the States, what does that look like? I know it's only been a month, butDenise Delboni 27:42 know what month is wonderful.Maybe a month is not enough? It's enough? No, it's great, because I am taking some classes. Yes, as my professor. Oh, she's younger than me. Excellent. Excellent.Jerrid Kalakay 27:57 Yes, it's all relative.Denise Delboni 28:11 And, of course, learning too much about Social Innovation, and about the models that you have developed in the United States. So I think this is the big step that I have. I can tell you talking about this last month, in yesterday, I told them, Mary, Mary, I feel so small, because they have some initiatives close to us because we're talking about Latin American yesterday. And they have wonderful initiatives. And we don't have an idea about that. So maybe it's this month is so great for me, especially to understand what we're doing here, the United States, and which kind of model we could replicate in Brazil too, and especially to be in contact with this kind of network with other professors, students, like great students, also, I'm taking part of some groups in the other in class. And sometimes I try to angry with the students about the problems that we have. But sometimes the Americans, they don't know about that, of course. So it's a wonderful integration because we can, we can be much more responsible, say, when I returned to my country, thinking about other mechanisms that you have here. And in one month, I was able to take part in some very important events related to volunteer programs related to some initiatives like the victory cup. And when they have NGOs, looking for some award, of course, but they are there to show they're to present their jobs, their storytelling. So it's great. In one month, I saw lots of things I could write, write a book.Jerrid Kalakay 29:54 Oh, good. So so you can go back now? And you're done? Yes, I can. Yeah, because you're not going back until July. So so many more months. So only better things even come?Denise Delboni 30:09 I'm sure that I will have lots of experiences. But I don't know how yet.Jerrid Kalakay 30:13 Yes,Denise Delboni 30:14 absolutely. But I can tell you that this first month was great for me, talking about the network, start talking about the things that I learned. And talking about something that called me caught my attention. And related to the kind of models or jobs that I can take to Brazil to It was great. That's awesome.Jerrid Kalakay 30:34 That's awesome. Very cool. Now, and he has meant, so you're in an interesting position because you've been a student, of one of your colleagues. And now you're a professor, another colleague, so so you, you kind of span the entire journey. What is it? What is that like for you? What has that been like for you?Yasmin Mesbah 30:58 It's been very intense. So I know, I'm technically a professor of the scholar. But for me, it's a learning experience, right? Because she's in my class, and she's interacting with all these students. And she's providing a fresh and new perspective to everything that I'm discussing in class. So everything that I'm discussing, I teach the introduction to social entrepreneurship class, so it's very entry-level. So I'm just kind of exposing the students to these ideas for the first time for a lot of them, they have no idea what it is. So we don't dive into maybe the International, you know, how, what does this look like in different countries. So to have Dr. Delboni being in class and be able to participate in different teams and different activities that we do? For me, it's also giving me kind of more learning to learn about these concepts from a different perspective. And what how what I'm teaching is being communicated if it's being communicated the way I want it to. So it's, I think it's a definitely a two-way street. And of course, Dr. Conway, she's been my professor, my mentor, just incredible support from the start. So I learned from her both in terms of working on Golding's and then in terms of in the classroom, so for me, I'm very fortunate to be able to be in this edition.Jerrid Kalakay 32:19 That's cool.Yeah, it's often it could be a precarious position to be a colleague, having been a student, and, and all those sorts of things. So it sounds like it's not been as difficult as it could be.Yasmin Mesbah 32:35 No, because the way we work at global links is we don't really do hierarchy. So there is a little bit of Okay, this is the program manager, this is the faculty mentor, the Graduate Assistant, and we divide tasks, but it's not in any way, where Dr. Conway just tells us something when we're meeting and this is the way it has to be done. Or I told the graduate system, okay, now you go do this. It's not it's never been like that. It's always okay. This is the problem that we're facing. What would you guys think of that? And even if Dr. Conway hadn't a specific idea that she is convinced that it's the right way to go, she still does. propose it in a way that makes it seem like we have room to oppose it or get feedback, even if it doesn't always try to make us feel like she's in control or anything. So and she has some areas we are we have no idea what's going on, right in terms of maybe sometimes working with corporate partners or things like that. Dr. Conway obviously has way more experienced and for other things, she will seek our guidance in terms of maybe social media or crafting messaging or reaching out to students, she's not sure how exactly best to do that. So we just all collaborate, and contribute. And as we best can, based on our experiences,Jerrid Kalakay 33:52 yeah, I mean, that's what makes the strongest team, right where they were there aren't, were there were the lines of hierarchy or not define and that people feel comfortable, challenging, and speaking up and so forth, it's, it's when the opposite is true that you run into really problematic situations where people where you only have Yes, people around you. And then things got really bad really fast. And,Mary Conway Dato-on 34:17 you know, and I think again, as in my role as a professor, I'm teaching some concepts around empowerment, and aroundteam building and things like that. And as I was listening to one of the people speak here today, she was saying, the best way we learn, and that is, is to reflect and to, to observe. And so I think, as a professor, I want to be sure that I am modeling the same principles of empowerment that I'm teaching classroom because a that makes that just makes me feel better. And I believe that that's who I am. But also it, how do we teach it? Again, if we go back to what are we doing and change-making, right is we have to first look at ourselves. And we have to first look at what we're contributing and how we're behaving, not just in the classroom, but outside of the classroom as well. And so I tried to set up a team structure that takes advantage of everyone's skill that they bring, and at the same time, creates an environment of engagement, and empathetic learning, and listening. Right? So I definitely have ideas, right? I'm not shy, telling my ideas. But at the same time, I am completely willing. And it's actually when I interviewed the graduate assistants, I say, can you challenge me? Will you say to me, I have no idea what you're talking about? Or can that is not going to work? Because if you can't do that, then we're not going to work well together? Because I need someone And to your point, what good is someone who's just going to mirror back to me? Every thought I have no, I want someone to say this is not the best way to communicate with students who are considerably younger than us, or have we thought about this? What about that, and then empowering them to bring their ideas because the skill set that we have on the students? And now Yes, mean in the program managerJerrid Kalakay 36:33 are amazing. Absolutely. Well, and that's and that's how you make a stronger team. Right? If if you isolate people only to one particular role or one particular expertise, then you've left everything else that their value all their other valuables, the dollar.Mary Conway Dato-on 36:51 I don't mean to interrupt you here. The other thing you're saying to me, which I just as I'm hearing it, like what I'm hearing, you say is also creating a team where there's mutual respect, absolutely. There's no hierarchy, yet. There's a respect to that says, I understand that you're older than me, and life has given you certain experiences, I understand that you come from a different country. And that brings a set of experiences. And so having a respectful in my syllabus, I say opinions vary, but civility is constant. Yes. And so creating a space where the respect is paramount to the process of engaging and active agreement and disagreement.Jerrid Kalakay 37:33 Absolutely, yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, and there's clear that there's, there's a huge amount of mutual respect between the three of you just in the short time that we've been together. And I really, I really love the idea of the power of the ripple effect that this program has, in bringing over one scholar for a period of a few months in reality, and then bringing over their students for two weeks is, is a very short amount of time in the span of a lifetime. But then, knowing that all that not only the scholar, but the students go back to create change in their own communities. What kind of things do you all hope to happen with the program in general?Mary Conway Dato-on 38:23 Thank you so much for asking that question. Because as you're talking, I was thinking about two things. One is we haven't talked a lot about the role the US Department of State in this program. And that's a very important role. because number one, they give us gravitas. And they have the perspective on the ground. So we work very closely are to me and scholars came from Calcutta. So it's not the capital city, but the console is there. And they've been incredibly supportive. And when Tupperware and Rollins decided for some strategic reasons to reposition the program into Brazil, the US Department of State in Calcutta said, Wait a minute, we love what you're doing here. How do we not lose this? And so we're in the process of working with the two scholars and the change makers who said the same thing, wait a minute, like I've got a younger brother and sister that I want to have off with this. And so we're actually doing some grant writing around that. So the future where I see the future, as is global links, India, global links, Brazil, global links Mexico, and so are, we're doing some grant work in India. And then the next step is to talk to other Latin American countries and see what companies can additionally sponsor that. And if we had five scholars, at the same time in Rollins, the impact of that would also have on our campus, bringing over one scholar is awesome. And Denise has been so great getting out and meeting people and interacting with people. And imagine that a multiplier of five and then that means bringing back. Sorry, I'mJerrid Kalakay 40:11 not a math professor.Mary Conway Dato-on 40:16 Right? Yeah, 25 students all at once for this two-week program. And then the next round, maybe getting the scholars from Iraq and India and Brazil and Mexico and doing a kind of mini-conference around that. So for me, the sky's the limit. And as Yasmin said earlier because we're so passionate about this program, we just keep pushing the boundaries and asking for more, because I'm a true believer, if you don't ask for it, you, you'll probably never get it. So that's where I see the program going.Yasmin Mesbah 40:48 Yeah, and hit three people, just to kind of give you some perspective of the potential that the program has in terms of impact. Like he said as Dr. Conway said, we do have right now it's cycle has one scholar, and we only bring five change makers. However, on average, each cycle we impact around 2000 individuals, tween professors, staff, students, entrepreneurs, NGOs, the fat, the staff at the American Center back in Kolkata, so and that's just with one scholar. So imagine being able to have five scholars at a time, right? Because each cycle is between a year, two years. So if we are able to multiply that number by five, it's incredible. And that is part of what kind of pushes us to keep going even when we don't always have positive results because we've been trying this whole expansion and scaling thing for a while. And it's not always a Happy journey, right? Sometimes we get rejections and we meet, we have like a dead end. And we don't know where what to do. But what keeps us going is because we see the potential that this program has, and we are just not going to stop until we're able toachieve itDenise Delboni 42:02 the impact and the potential. Yeah. And it said that the more than numbers, I think you have to think about implications, the possible implications. So we are not talking just about knowledge. We're not talking about just a million for printers, we're talking about maybe creating new jobs, they're talking about creating new kind of mindset related to the transformation of businesses, the actual businesses that we have in Brazil. So I think it's a different kind of implication, because behind each student, or behind it, interpreter, maybe you have different kinds of consequences there. So this is a kind of different implications. So it's very helpful for this kind of program.Jerrid Kalakay 42:47 Absolutely. Yeah. Well, I just want to thank you all, so very much for taking time and chatting with us at that Teaching Change. I'd also be remiss if I didn't also acknowledge that Dr. Conway, that alone, served as my dissertation, one of my dissertation members on my committee, and also serve as a mentor and co-publisher of an article and a bunch of other stuff. So it was a joy to chat with you a little bit about this very exciting work. And it was very nice meeting all of you and chatting with you. Thank you.Mary Conway Dato-on 43:25 Thank you Jerrid way before you hit that Post button, I want to say the same that I can't tell you how exciting it is for me to see the impact that you're making, that you're making. With this podcast that you're making. I think also not only by challenging but leading at Valencia and leading in the community, your ability to create networks is amazing. So just keep going. It's exciting. It's very exciting.Jerrid Kalakay 43:52 I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you all.Yasmin Mesbah 43:54 Thank you.Jerrid Kalakay 43:56 Till next time, be nice and change some stuff 

On today’s episode, we have our 7th and final episode in our special series Ashoka U on Teaching Change with our conversation with Rachel Maxwell, Head of Learning and Teaching Development at the University of Northampton. Rachel shares her work in developing changemaker learning outcomes to be adopted institution-wide, her own philosophy around change-making, and the impact the upcoming Ashoka U publication will have on the field of changemaker education.BiographyDr. Rachel Maxwell is Head of Learning and Teaching Development in the Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (ILT) at the University of Northampton in the UK. She is currently leading a number of projects supporting the student experience, including improving the first-year experience and the development of a framework of graduate attributes embedding employability and Changemaker skills across our curricula. Since starting work at the University of Northampton in 2012, Rachel has displayed a strong interest in Changemaking, primarily through her work to embed the skills and attributes associated with Changemaker into our curricula. In this way, her desire is to ensure that all students at Northampton receive a meaningful, on-programme entitlement to engage with Changemaking, thus supporting the institutional strategy: Transforming Lives + Inspiring Change.

We continue our special series Ashoka U on Teaching Change with our interview of Jacen Greene, Director of Impact Entrepreneurs at Portland State University. Jacen shares his winding journey from the private sector to consulting to higher education and working with change-making education. He also shares how his private sector experience influences his work in education and how important learning outcomes are for a strong educational foundation. Listen to find out why Jacen believes that every decision he makes to be more inclusive in his programs has benefited every student participating.BiographyJacen Greene manages social innovation programs in PSU’s School of Business, including the Social Innovation Certificate and Elevating Impact Summit, and co-founded PSU’s new Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative. He teaches design thinking and lean startup courses in social entrepreneurship, initiated the student-run B Impact consulting program, and leads an award-winning case writing program. He serves as PSU’s Change Leader, official representative to the Ashoka U Changemaker Campus network, and is one of Ashoka U’s global Network Advisory Committee members.Jacen’s case studies have won the Oikos Case Competition, placed 2nd in the Next Billion Competition, and been used by more than 2300 students and faculty. He has published in the International Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Learning, VentureWell 20th Annual Conference Proceedings, Case Studies in Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, and the Oikos Case Quarterly.In addition to overseeing the planning team for the yearly Elevating Impact Summit, he has presented at or led workshops for the Fulbright Program, AmeriCorps, Net Impact Conference (2011), GoGreen PDX (2012), VentureWell OPEN (2016), Ashoka U Exchange (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), and Social Enterprise World Forum (2018), among others.Jacen graduated Beta Gamma Sigma with an MBA in sustainability from Portland State University and magna cum laude with a B.A. in China Studies from Willamette University. He has previously worked or taught in India, China, Cambodia, Honduras, and Nicaragua.LinksLearning Objectives Guide DOWNLOADhttps://guides.library.pdx.edu/c.php?g=527355&p=3605354 

Today’s episode brings us the 4th installment of our special series Ashoka U on Teaching Change with our conversation with Rebecca Riccio, Director of the Social Impact Lab at Northeastern University. Rebecca shares her philosophy of change-making education from the ways of thinking, ways of being, and ways of doing, to her disdain for placing too much emphasis on specific terms like “social entrepreneurship” or “social innovation” and lastly her chapter in the forthcoming Ashoka U publication. BiographyRebecca Riccio is the founding Director of the Social Impact Lab (SIL) at Northeastern University, an experiential learning hub that prepares students for lives of citizen-leadership and social change through systems thinking, complex problem solving,  and ethical community engagement.  Throughout her career, Rebecca has developed and managed cutting edge projects around the world, including the first federally funded teacher training program in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe following the fall of the Berlin Wall; satellite-based email networks connecting health facilities in Africa and Asia before commercial options became viable; and the world’s first massive open online course or MOOC on experiential philanthropy, which engaged thousands of students around the world in awarding grants from the Buffett family’s Learning by Giving Foundation.  She continues to break new ground by researching and developing experiential learning methods that challenge students to grapple with the complexity and ethical implications of engaging in social change using techniques such as network and systems visualization, real-dollar grantmaking, and community-based service-learning. Rebecca is a leader in the growing use of experiential philanthropy education to illuminate the study of the nonprofit sector, civil society, and social justice by having students confront the power and privilege of managing scarce resources in the face of vast need. The model she developed at Northeastern, Northeastern Students4Giving, is now being adapted in countries around the world through SIL’s Global Philanthropy Initiative. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and social change at Northeastern University and has lectured on philanthropy, social justice, and policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.LinksSocial Impact Lab website: https://cssh.northeastern.edu/impactlab/Social Impact-athon website: https://www.socialimpactathon.com/Rebecca’s talk at Ashoka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXxSIGdyPv4For more information about Rebecca’s philosophy and work in experiential philanthropy, see Riccio, Rebecca. “Checks and Balances: Experiential Philanthropy as a Form of Community Engagement.” Service-learning through Community Engagement. By Lori Gardinier. New York, NY: Springer, LLC, 2017. 39-56. Print.  

Today we continue with our 3rd episode in our special series Ashoka U on Teaching Change by learning from Molly Ware, Professor of Education at Western Washington University. Molly shares her own journey to change-making through the classroom, her work as an educator of educators, and her chapter in the upcoming Ashoka U publicationPreparing Students for a Rapidly Changing World: Social Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation, and Changemaker Learning Outcomes.  BiographyHow can we accomplish more together than is possible alone? It’s the question that’s driven my work since I left my science teaching gig in GA public, middle schools. Since then, I’ve worked as a teacher educator in partnership with public school teachers in WA state – supporting the growth of new changemaker teachers. In addition, I’ve worked to support organizational innovation & evolution at Western Washington University & beyond through a variety of leadership roles including Faculty Senate President, Director of Western Reads, and organizational change & innovation consulting work. I currently teach classes focused on leading systemic change and am finishing a memoir on adventures in system change.In addition to her work at Western Washington University, Molly is founder & lead consultant at We Evolve where she supports organizational change & innovation in higher education & the social impact sector. https://www.we-evolve.org She is also finishing a memoir on her adventures in learning to create transformative change that will be completed this summer.Linkshttp://www.we-evolve.org 

On today’s episode, we continue our special series Ashoka U on Teaching Change with Hattie Duplechain, Research and Evaluation Specialist at Ashoka U. Hattie shares her own journey into change-making through the K-12 system, her role, and the process she helped lead in writing the upcoming Ashoka U publicationPreparing Students for a Rapidly Changing World: Social Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation, and Changemaker Learning Outcomes.   BiographyResearch and Evaluation Specialist, Hattie leads measurement efforts for the Ashoka U team. Hattie focuses on cultivating and working in partnership with Ashoka U’s research community to document the effects of changemaking education and share learnings through knowledge products. Before joining Ashoka U Hattie worked as a primary level teacher, initially as U.S. Fulbright grantee to Nepal and later as a founding teacher at a Nashville, Tennessee middle school. Hattie began her work at the intersection between social innovation and higher education as a Vittana Fellow, supporting the microfinance organization’s work to fund higher education internationally. Hattie holds dual B.A. degrees in English and Communication Studies from Clemson University and an M.Ed. in International Education Policy and Management from Vanderbilt University.Linkswww.ashokau.org40 Conversations about Changemaker Learning Outcomes3 Critical Questions Changemaker Learning Outcomes Can Help us Answer Recommended Evaluation Resources_Summer 2018

Today we kick off the special series Ashoka U on Teaching Change with an interview with Co-Founder and Executive Director of Ashoka U Marina Kim. Marina shares her passion for change-making, how she got involved in the field as an undergraduate and reflects on the last 10 years since she co-founded the organization. She also discusses her hopes for the field and the upcoming Ashoka U publication Preparing Students for a Rapidly Changing World: Social Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation, and Changemaker Learning Outcomes.  BiographyMarina’s work in social entrepreneurship dates back over 15 years. She co-founded and leads Ashoka U, which works with colleges and universities to embed social innovation as an educational focus and a strategic approach to aligning the university’s culture, programs, and operations. To date, Ashoka U has worked with over 400 institutions globally. Marina’s writing on institutional change and higher education innovation have been featured in Forbes.com,SSIR.org, and the Diversity & Democracy Journal and Ashoka U has been featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Huffington Post and The New York Times. Marina was named in the Forbes 30 under 30 for Social Entrepreneurship, received the post-graduate Tom Ford Fellowship in Philanthropy from Stanford, and is an Honorary Fellow of the University of Northampton. Marina holds a BA in International Relations from Stanford University.Linkswww.ashokau.org 

On today’s episode, we learn about the 50 billion tons of waste the fashion industry generates per year goes into our landfills and how Melissa Feezor of Raw Materials by Melissa is determined to change that fact.  Melissa Feezor shares her journey of operating a boutique one-off fashion business to struggling to pay her bills and take of her two children and back again.  Melissa is creating cool stylish looks out of unlikely sources specifically “old man pants”.  BiographyMelissa Feezor worked in the creative field most of her adult life. She founded a graphic design company, enjoyed a fine art career and launched raw materials, an upcycled fashion line. Then she lost everything. During the economic downturn of 2008, she went thru a divorce and lost her home. With two small children to care for, she gave up on her creative career and worked as many odd jobs as she could to keep them afloat. It was a dark and humbling time. The loneliness, isolation, and shame of living below the poverty level nearly broke Melissa. But, it never got to her sweet and incredibly brave kids, age 6 and 9 at the time. Mia and her brother Michael sat vigil outside mom’s bedroom door during Melissa’s “time outs” to cry, and would say under the door; “breathe mommy, just breathe”. As she got back on her feet the strength of her children stuck with her. She felt a desire to help other children who came home after school to a parent in a desperate situation and through no fault of their own had to be a kid and an adult all at the same time. She knew the only way to help these courageous kids was to help their parents get back on their feet and help make the family whole again. Melissa learned, through her own challenging experiences, that kids just want their parents back to being parents.Melissa eventually went back to the corporate world. There she tried to rally coworkers to see the needs of the poor and show them how thoughtfully designed products and programs could “solve the world’s problems, with the world’s problems”. This crusade leads to several humanitarian programs, including a virtual food drive and a volunteer engagement program. These ideas caught the eye of top-level executives of her billion-dollar employer. Although she had CEO level support, corporate red tape and layers of management caused the eventual demise of her big, world-changing ideas.What can only be described as divine inspiration thru a Christian faith-based journey, Melissa was led to her earlier love of upcycling clothing. Her son, Michael, once told her after a particularly upsetting episode early in the divorce, “mom, you take everything bad and make it good”. Focused on that principle, equipped with the skills of being able to design wearable fashion out of old clothes and a special vision to see textile waste as a valuable commodity, Melissa relaunched raw materials. This time to benefit humanitarian causes in addition to environmental benefits.With the blessing of a second chance at love and the support of her new husband she left the safety of her corporate job and is devoting herself full time to raw materials and its basic principle: making high fashion from old clothes for good causes. Through product line development, pops ups, fashion fundraisers and workshops she is hoping to fill a great need as a social enterprise element for those needing way back to society. She currently is focused on several non-profits who serve sex trafficking survivors and is teaching what she knows to others. Melissa hopes this will provide not only trade for these survivors but also a dignified, sustainable way back to society.Linkswww.rawmaterialsbymelissa.comFollow @rawmaterialsbymelissa on InstagramRaw Materials by Melissa on Facebook.http://greenorlando.com/sustainability/high-fashion-with-the-right-vision.html  Article on Raw Materials by Melissa   

On this episode, we speak with a Dani Chesson who is a Business Transformation Consultant with Chesson Consulting in New Zealand.  Dani shares her journey from New York to New Zealand with a few stops in between and shares her excitement for helping businesses to not only becoming more profitable but also more rewarding.  Dani’s work and passion are in building the capabilities needed for change!BiographyDani Chesson, Ph.D.With a unique blend of design, business, and organizations development skills, Dr. Dani Chesson’s helps companies tackle complex challenges to reach their full potential. Dani is the creator of Chesson’s DESIGN THINKER PROFILE, Dani takes a Design Thinking approach to creating innovative yet pragmatic solutions to complex business challenges.Throughout her career, Dani has taken a design perspective to help organizations create new products and services, adopt emerging technologies, and successfully implement large-scale transformational change. Prior to starting Chesson Consulting, Dani was a former Vice President at Bank of America where she led global teams in operationalizing innovation, managing change, and responding to regulatory requirements. She has also held leadership and consulting roles at Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting, Sherpa, LLC, and HSBC.Dani holds a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications with a focus in graphic design. She holds a Master of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Organization Development from Queens University of Charlotte where her research focused on how designers approach their work. As part of her graduate work, Dani also completed a Certificate in Executive Coaching. She is also accredited in the DISC Value Index, a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, and a trained facilitator of the Immunity to Change process. Dani earned her Ph.D. in Leadership and Organizational Change from Antioch University where her research involved developing an assessment for measuring the capabilities of Design Thinkers and expanding the use of Design Thinking in organizations. Dani is a scholar-practitioner who brings insights from research into organizations and whose research is informed by her work with clients.LinksDani Chesson contact – dani@chessonconsulting.comhttp://www.chessonconsulting.comhttps://designthinkerprofile.com/

On this episode with speak with a current doctoral student and aspiring social entrepreneur Sara Frost.  Sara is finishing up her coursework for the Ph. D. in Leadership and Change, from Antioch University and will be embarking research on risk-taking in social enterprises.  Sara shares her aspirations to begin her own “Art Bus” social enterprise that would travel around the United States bringing the Arts to school children.  She also shares her own journey of discovering, studying, and practicing social entrepreneurship.BiographySara Frost, Ed.S.Data Systems Manager at The Guild for Human Services and Ph.D. Student at Antioch UniversityBy day, Sara is the data systems manager at a special education school in Massachusetts; she uses data to inform the agency in decision-making. By night, she is a Ph.D. student at Antioch University. Her dissertation is on barriers to Risk-taking for Social Entrepreneurs. She has been excited about social entrepreneurship since 2008 when she came up with an idea for a social enterprise that she wants to start. At the time she was unaware of the exciting world of social entrepreneurship.Along the way, she has tried to gain the necessary education to start such an endeavor. Although she hasn’t quite gotten her idea off the ground, she has learned about some really cool people who are changing the world.Sara is also a sloth enthusiast, a mom to a human and two dogs, and wife to a 3D Animator and video game designer.Sara has a BA in Theater from Florida State University, an MS in Human Services Administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport, and an Ed.S. in Special Education from Bay Path University.Given the opportunity to tell you what to do, she would encourage you to be kind to everyone, do one thing that excites you every day, and stay awesome.LinksSara Frost contact – sfrost3@antioch.eduJerrid Kalakay’s Dissertation – “JUST” Business and Often Personal: An Exploration Into the Incidents Social Entrepreneurs Identify as Critical to Leading Their EnterprisesGuild for Human Services Website – www.guildhumanservices.orgAmeriCorps NCCC – https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/americorps-programs/americorps-ncccSara also encourages you to buy the coloring book that has a picture of her baby, called Dogs Are Mean: The (ADULT) Coloring Book (Animals Are Mean) (Volume 2) https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Are-Mean-Coloring-Animals/dp/1729812589/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1542998965&sr=1-1&keywords=animals+are+mean+dogs+are+mean

On this episode, we speak with Dr. Randy Bartlett on his project of creating a new progressive independent high school named City of Bridges in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Randy is the founder and will serve as Head of School when the school opens in the Fall of 2019. He has three core values at the forefront of the school’s development of real work project-based learning, peace and justice, and student agency. Randy shares why a new high school is needed in the Pittsburgh community and why change-making is an essential education component.Core ValuesThe City of Bridges School will:Have real work project-based learning as a cornerstone of its educational offerings;Be explicit in enacting the values of peace and justice within and outside of the community;Have the student voice and agency in all major decisions related to the operations and curriculum.BiographyDr. Randy Bartlett, M.Ed., Ph.D.Head of School-Humanities TeacherRandy has been working in education and non-profit organizations for two decades. He has been a teacher in small rural schools like the Acworth Center School, a school principal at Propel East and Propel Montour, a designer of the project-based Andrew Street High School, a Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Data and A Senior Director of Research, Reporting and the Arts. He designed and directed the Pittsburgh Urban Teaching Corp and teaches graduate students on their path to becoming teachers at Chatham University. He has served as the president of the Board of Trustees for the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, and as a curriculum consultant for The Sprout Fund.Most importantly he is a father, husband, a seeker of new experiences and a joyfully curious learner.Randy has a BA in History and Religion from Oberlin College, an M.Ed. in Integrated Learning from Antioch University New England, a post-masters certificate in Educational Leadership from Keene State College and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University.A utopian at heart, he believes that enriching learning opportunities and supportive communities can transform our worldLinksRandy Barlett Contact: randy@cityofbridgeshighschool.orgCity of Bridges High School Website: www.cityofbridgeshighschool.orgCity of Bridges High School Donations Site:  http://cityofbridgeshighschool.org/donate/

On this episode, we talk with Eryn Vargo founder of Moms Give Back, Shop with a Purpose, and Baby OK on the power of moms in the world.  As an amazing woman, mother of four children, wife, and social entrepreneur she is kicking butt in social impact with her three companies all working to improve the lives of others.  Eryn lives by the Gandhi quote Be The Change You Wish To See In The World; and thus, asked herself “How can I be the change” – Eryn Vargo Biography of Eryn VargoWife, Social Mompreneur & Catalyst for ChangeAs a social entrepreneur, Eryn is using her empowerment marketing platform to push purpose forward and to broaden further her social goals associated with the volunteer sector in areas of poverty alleviation, health and wellness, child safety and community development. Eryn can support the operational costs of the Diaper Bank of Central Florida and fund the development of Baby OK through Moms Give Back, her marketing & consulting business and her #ShopWithPurpose Market. So when you work with Eryn or shop with Eryn, you are Using Business As A Force For Good too!LinksGiving Tuesday Information: https://www.givingtuesday.org/Change Maker at  Moms Give Back: www.momsgiveback.comFounder of The Diaper Bank of Central Florida::diaperbankofcentralflorida.org)Creator of Baby OK: mybabyok.infoSign up to be a beta tester for Baby OK: www.mybabyok.info/betaContactsEmail: Eryn@momsgiveback.comGet Social: FB @momsgiveback;  IG @moms.give.back; PIN @momsgiveback

On today’s episode, we speak with Scout Master Autumn Herod on the leadership development scouting provides to young boys and girls.  Autumn has been a scoutmaster with the Girls Scouts of America and currently the Boy Scouts of America as she raises her two stepdaughters and son.  Autumn is particularly excited about her upcoming female scout troop which will be aligned with a boy scout troop in February 2019.  She sees a tremendous benefit of the Boy Scouts of America becoming even more inclusive and increasing the number of females involved in scouting.  This February 2019 the 108-year-old organization Boy Scouts of America will officially become Scouting BSA to reflect the almost 60,000 young women’s inclusion in the organization.       Biography of Autumn HerodNative Floridian that grew up in Jacksonville. A Jacksonville Jaguar fan from the day they announced adding the team, Autumn pursued becoming a member of the ROAR and cheered while attending college at the University of North Florida.  She has a dual degree in Business Management and Transportation and Logistics and has transitioned from business operations to creating software solutions. Currently, Autumn works on projects for Disney Cruise Lines as a business analyst. She has 3 children (2 stepdaughters, 1 son) and has volunteered as both girl scout and cub scout leader. Autumn is moving up to a Scout troop in February and starting a girl troop in the Orlando area. She has a passion for helping and teaching youth to make an impact in their communities and the world.LinksContact Autumn at autumnjscouts@gmail.comScouting for America: https://www.scouting.org/ 

In this episode, we explore social entrepreneurship and social impact work as a pathway to finding true happiness with Mohit Mukherjee Founding Director of the Center for Executive Education at the United Nations Mandated University of Peace in Costa Rica.  Mohit shares how growing up in the streets of Paris and Calcutta left an indelible mark on his worldview and instilled a desire to create more social justice.  His work up to this point in his life has taken on many different paths and chapters if you will but his mission has been to build transformational learning experiences that combine heart and head to help people develop the skills and mindset to flourish in a rapidly changing world.Biography of Mohit MukherjeeMohit is founding Director of the Centre for Executive Education at the University for Peace (UPEACE), headquartered in Costa Rica. In this role, he has developed and taught over 50 seminars in eight countries on themes ranging from ‘Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Social Change’ to ‘Designing Your Life’.Prior to this role, he served as VP of Programs at Watson U and Education Program Manager of the Earth Charter Initiative, an international nonprofit organization. He also spent four years at A.T. Kearney management consultants. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and did his Master’s at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Mohit was born in Greece to Indian parents and currently lives in Florida, spending a week per month in Costa Rica.LinksDiploma in Social Innovation:http://centre.upeace.org/programs/onlinecourses/diploma-in-social-innovation/VIA Strengths Finder Free Test:https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/registerMartin E.P. Seligman’s Book Flourish: https://www.amazon.com/Flourish-Visionary-Understanding-Happiness-Well-being-ebook/dp/B0043RSK9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1504551464&sr=1-1&keywords=flourish+by+martin+seligmanBig Talk at Ashoka U on Well-being and SE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWsHd6Kvgk&index=20&list=PL4c_sUqnnlfFHCTqFBwMVc38djirImAM7Earth Charter Initiative: http://earthcharter.org/

Purpose is a difficult concept to articulate for most people let alone follow towards a career or vocation.  On this episode, Jerrid explores what it takes to pursue one’s purpose with student guests Ryan, John, and Ian.  The Valencia College students, participated in the live radio podcast, while their classmates tuned in to the broadcast live from the classroom via Facebook Live. Students also enjoyed communicating during the program through Facebook’s chat feature, engaging in witty, fun and informative banter.LinksLive in-studio video of the episode on Facebook Video: https://www.facebook.com/Valenciacollegeradio/videos/273609083259748/ 

In this episode, Mentor Dida of the International organization Ashoka explains how he and others developed the Change Maker Journey template that is utilized around North America in the K-12 Education system by Ashoka to create change makers.Biography of Mentor DidaI’m a people person who always gets excited about new ideas and possibilities to design meaningful solutions to advance humanity. Advancing humanity is dear to my heart because after having lived through the 1999 Kosovo war, I realized that the real problems were not the people who caused the problems, but those who did not do anything about them. I’m a firm believer that all of our problems are just opportunities that we have not designed the right solutions yet; what we need is some more empathy, sophisticated teamwork, collaborative leadership, and changemaking.During high school, I found a deep appreciation for physics. It is a science that aims to make things simple and explain why things happen the way they do. That was the reason why I chose to study engineering, and I ended up graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Alternative Energy Technologies from Arizona State University (ASU).While I was an engineering student, I had a realization that moved me profoundly and was the reason why I chose to dedicate my time on advancing humanity. That moment triggered an inner drive in me to take many leadership roles, including co-founding five student organization, leading a university initiative, serving as a student senator, and co-founding two non-profit organizations. I continued to pursue a graduate degree in Global Technology and Entrepreneurship at ASU. My graduate thesis was studying the human-centered design approach to problem-solving; where I got to explore ways people come up with compelling ideas. ASU provided incredible recognitions including Valedictorian, Graduate Commencement Student Speaker, the prestigious Pitchfork award as the Outstanding Graduate Student Leader, Lean Six Sigma Black, and Green Belt, and more.All of this led me to Ashoka, the world’s pioneer network of system-changing social entrepreneurs, and its mission to catalyze a future in which everyone has the necessary tools and knowledge to drive change for the good of all.LInkswww.ashoka.orgwww.asu.eduhttps://changemaker.asu.edu/front

In the next two episodes, we learn about the Change Maker Journey with Mentor Dida of the International organization Ashoka.  Mentor shares his personal journey through growing up in a war zone to his transformation into a change maker and then to a change leader. In this episode specifically, Mentor shares his own change maker journey.Biography of Mentor DidaI’m a people person who always gets excited about new ideas and possibilities to design meaningful solutions to advance humanity. Advancing humanity is dear to my heart because after having lived through the 1999 Kosovo war, I realized that the real problems were not the people who caused the problems, but those who did not do anything about them. I’m a firm believer that all of our problems are just opportunities that we have not designed the right solutions yet; what we need is some more empathy, sophisticated teamwork, collaborative leadership, and changemaking.During high school, I found a deep appreciation for physics. It is a science that aims to make things simple and explain why things happen the way they do. That was the reason why I chose to study engineering, and I ended up graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Alternative Energy Technologies from Arizona State University (ASU).While I was an engineering student, I had a realization that moved me profoundly and was the reason why I chose to dedicate my time on advancing humanity. That moment triggered an inner drive in me to take many leadership roles including co-founding 5 student organization, leading a university initiative, serving as a student senator, and co-founding two non-profit organizations. I continued to pursue a graduate degree in Global Technology and Entrepreneurship at ASU. My graduate thesis was studying the human-centered design approach to problem-solving; where I got to explore ways people come up with powerful ideas. ASU provided incredible recognitions including Valedictorian, Graduate Commencement Student Speaker, the prestigious Pitchfork Award as the Outstanding Graduate Student Leader, Lean Six Sigma Black, and Green Belt, and more.All of this led me to Ashoka, the world’s pioneer network of system-changing social entrepreneurs, and its mission to catalyze a future in which everyone has the necessary tools and knowledge to drive change for the good of all.LInkswww.ashoka.orgwww.asu.eduhttps://changemaker.asu.edu/front

In this episode, we explore some interesting courses called Strategies for Change Making, Be The Change, and Intrapreneurship taught by Josephine Balzac of Rollins College.  In these courses, students learn the necessary skills to bring about lasting change in their communities.  We also dive into Josephine’s own journey into change-making and how she approaches her work as an attorney, professor, and activist.Biography of Josephine BalzacJosephine M. Balzac is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Entrepreneurship. Professor Balzac is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in Florida and the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. She focuses on environmental law and was the President of the Law Office of Josephine Balzac, P.A. from April 2014 to June 2018. In 2017, Ms. Balzac was appointed to serve on the City of Orlando, Mayor’s Green Works Task Force. She also serves her community as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for IDEAS For Us, the Board of Directors of ACLU Central Florida, the Legal Advisory Board of the Center for Earth Jurisprudence, and the Public Interest and Law School Liaison Committees of the Environmental and Land Use Section of the Florida Bar.In October 2017, she was recognized by U.S. Representative Darren Soto as a community leader as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month. While at Rollins College her greatest honor is receiving two teaching awards, a Student Government Association’s Outstanding Faculty Award and the Walter E. Barden Distinguished Teaching Award. She also received the 2017-2018 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Faculty Fellowship. She holds a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from Florida A&M University College of Law where she graduated as valedictorian of her class. She received her Masters of Law (LL.M.) in International Environmental Law at The George Washington University Law School. While attending GWU Law, she served as a Randolph C. Shaw Research Fellow for the Associate Dean of Environmental Studies and interned at the Environmental Protection Agency. Ms. Balzac is actively involved in the local community, frequently educating and advocating as an avid speaker on environmental laws, sustainable development, climate change, human rights, food, and social justice issues. LinksJosephine Balzac: Instagram: @josiebgreen, Facebook: Josephine Balzac, Twitter: @josiebgreenIdeas for Us: www.ideasforus.orgAshoka U: www.ashokau.orgRollins College Social Entrepreneurship Program: www.rollins.edu/social-entrepreneurshipHuman-Centered Design: www.designkit.org/human-centered-design 

In this episode, we dive into what it means to be in community with others and how to foster community in your world with Micki Meyer of Rollins College.  Micki shares her journey to community building from her early days in Orlando and her almost 20 years at Rollins College.  Learn what Micki says are the three building blocks of community and how self-discovery and mindfulness are essential elements of a happy life.Biography of Micki Meyer, Lord Family Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Community at Rollins College.Micki Meyer serves as the Lord Family Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Community at Rollins College. She holds an Endowed Chair position funded by the DHL and RNR Foundations to build capacity around engaged scholarship, high impact learning, and student engagement. Micki oversees areas of campus that work directly with leadership education, social innovation & entrepreneurship, civic engagement, service-learning, diversity and inclusion, student involvement, and college access.Over the past 19 years, Micki has worked closely with faculty, staff, students, and community partners to make purposeful connections between campus and community that make meaning of a liberal education in the 21st Century. Micki serves as a Certified Scholar for Florida Campus Compact and as an Engaged Scholar for New Perspectives in Higher Education with Campus Compact. Also, Micki has been active with Ashoka U Changemaker Campus Network.Micki has been the recipient of honors and recognition for her work within communities. This year she received the Robert D. Bradshaw Small Colleges Student Advocate Award from the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators for her demonstrated commitment to the mission and goals of small colleges and her work “above and beyond the call of duty.” Also, Micki has been honored with the Thomas E. Gamble Service Legacy Award and Community Engagement Educator Award for Independent Colleges and Universities from Florida Campus Compact. In 2017 Micki was named a Winter Park Influential by Winter Park Magazine and one of Orlando’s 40 Under 40 by the Orlando Business Journal.Throughout her career, Micki has been engaged throughout Winter Park and Orlando and currently serves as a board member for the Downtown Orlando YMCA, Healthy Central Florida Winter Park, and is active with the Audubon Park School. She is a graduate of the Leadership Orlando and Leadership Winter Park. Micki received her Bachelor of Science in Human Communications and Media Management from the State University of New York College at Fredonia and Master of Arts in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University (OH).Linkswww.rollins.eduwww. mindful.org 

The ever-elusive concept of productivity is explored with Workflow Management Strategist and Productivity Coach Deana Kalakay on this episode.  Deana has been helping professionals and businesses to build confidence and take action using the science of consistency and workflow mastery.  Her clients overcome chaos and inconsistency by getting organized, becoming confident and taking the massive action required to meet and exceed their objectives.  To learn more go to her website at https://www.bepowerfullyproductive.com/

Passion is a difficult concept to articulate for most people let alone follow towards a career or vocation.  On this episode, Jerrid explores what it takes to pursue one’s passion with student guests Todd Bernard, Robert Manfreda, and Tatiana Fritz.  The Valencia College students, participated in the live radio podcast, while their classmates tuned in to the broadcast live from the classroom via Facebook Live. Students also enjoyed communicating during the program through Facebook’s chat feature, engaging in witty, fun and informative banter.

In this episode of Teaching Change, Courtney and Jerrid discuss the importance of having a supportive network. Supportive networks involve a person or group of people you can rely on for comradery, advice, or just a simple sounding board.Courtney immediately mentions her Toastmasters club as a major supportive network in her life. When Courtney sought to further develop her leadership and communication skills, she joined Weekend Toastmasters. Her club, which is a part of Toastmasters International, provides a nurturing environment of learning and ongoing opportunities to become your best self. Every Sunday Courtney takes on roles such as the prepared speaker, evaluator, timer, and counter while receiving valuable feedback and, yes, the support she can use to improve for the next meeting.Jerrid brings up the competitive aspect of Toastmasters and asks if this colors her experience when she doesn’t win. Courtney assures Jerrid that the contests are all in good fun and are meant to be learning tools as well. For each meeting, a member is awarded a certificate for best speaker, evaluator, and table topics speaker. Even if she doesn’t win, Courtney is able to gain valuable insight into her skills as a communicator and to observe the good speaking qualities of others.Courtney reveals that Weekend Toastmasters is also a good support network for her because it is outside of her professional workplace and allows her to interact with people on a different level. Instead of having on her librarian hat, Courtney is able to engage other areas of interest. Jerrid agrees with this particular aspect of supportive networks. He once was a part of a close-knit group at work that would hang out on their personal time. Ultimately, their conversations would turn to work-related matters and Jerrid felt like he was still on the clock. Therefore, this particular network did not provide Jerrid with the downtime he needed away from his daily job duties.Luckily, Jerrid has since built other supportive networks that give him the community and guidance he needs. As previously discussed, Jerrid is a husband and father of three children. Thanks to his lovely wife Deana, who sets Jerrid up on husband dates, he is able to connect with other husbands to exchange stories and seek advice. This is just one type of supportive network for Jerrid. He has also found networks that help him care for his aging parents, guide him through professional decisions and many other life situations where it is of benefit to have a second opinion.This episode marks the end of Courtney’s stint as co-host on Teaching Change. She thanks Jerrid for giving her the opportunity to explore the world of social entrepreneurship and to share her own experiences with the audience. As a fan of the show, she is looking forward to listening to future episodes of the podcast.  

On this episode of Teaching Change, Courtney and Jerrid discuss the importance of self-care. This is a buzzword that has been bandied about lately because it is vitally important to check in with yourself to make sure everything is okay. By self-care, the Teaching Change hosts are referring to taking the time to nurture your well-being both mentally and physically to ensure you are being mindful of your own needs. People in the social entrepreneurship field are driven by their passions to improve the lives of others and their communities. So much so, that they may not pause to do a self-assessment of what they need to function at the most optimal levels. This could lead to burnout.While Courtney has never ventured into social entrepreneurship, she had her own bout of burnout as a middle school Language Arts teacher. Her downfall was that her unique circumstances did not allow for adequate downtime in which she could rejuvenate her mind and spirit and gear up for the next day. As a public school teacher, Courtney felt like her work followed her everywhere and thus she was constantly on the clock. Whether it was grading papers, preparing lesson plans, or classroom management, her teacher responsibilities took over her identity until there was room for little else. Thus, she burned out after only two years.Your career choice and workplace can greatly affect opportunities for self-care. Jerrid recounts a work environment where employees felt they needed to work long hours in order to demonstrate their value to the employer. This did not quite mesh with how Jerrid wanted to live his life as a dedicated father, husband, and family man. He made the difficult decision to quit, which carried its own pressures so he could lead the type of life he’d envisioned for himself. This turned out to be a great decision on his part. It was, after all, one of the roads that led him to Valencia where he feels very fortunate to have landed. At his current place of employment, Jerrid has the freedom to explore his varied interest and still maintain a healthy work-life balance.The show concludes with Jerrid’s account of a friend who suffered years of unfulfillment at the job before he’d finally had enough. Although the friend was making a six-figure salary, the company’s culture and mission were not aligned with what he needed to be motivated in the work. Twenty years later the friend finally resigned from the position and began working for a nonprofit that fits better with his purpose. Although Jerrid acknowledges the friend probably took a sizable pay cut, the purging of a toxic work environment and philosophy more than made up for the difference.Would you be willing to make that decision? Questions such as this one are important to consider as we continue the conversation. Difficult decisions and sacrifices may have to be made in the name of self-care. For if we don’t take care of ourselves first, we won’t be of any use to those we aspire to help.

People welcome setbacks like they would a trip to the dentist or a flat tire. In other words, they do not. Setbacks are understandably viewed as impediments to progress and dream crushers. Yet they are an inevitable part of life. We cannot all be perfect one hundred percent of the time, can we?One of the secrets of success is to refuse to let temporary setbacks defeat us – Mary Kay AshOn this week’s episode of Teaching Change, Jerrid and Courtney talk the good, the bad and the ugly of setbacks. Setbacks are awful by their very nature and are often accompanied by feelings of disappointment and failure. Yes, setbacks suck! This is something most of us know from life experience. Due to the negative connotations of setbacks, we try to brush them off as quickly as possible and move on with our lives. However, as Jerrid and Courtney discuss in this episode, it is vitally important to acknowledge the setback and to embrace the emotions it solicits. On the surface, this may make people uncomfortable. No one likes to feel down in the dumps if they can help it. Nevertheless, confronting the emotions head-on allows you to process what happened and to forge a clearer path forward.Courtney divulges that she is not above a good, old-fashioned pity party. Darken the room, pop in a sad movie and she is all set. This is Courtney’s cathartic way of working through her emotions so that she can gear up again and tackle the issue at hand from a more wizened, informed perspective.  I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. -Thomas EdisonIn their discussion of setbacks, Jerrid shares Thomas Edison’s quote, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” This quote highlights the silver lining in weathering a setback. Jerrid explains that we will all eventually fail at something in our lives but it is how we react to those failures that make all the difference. Jerrid recalls an interview he conducted while working on his dissertation. An entrepreneur depended heavily on a government grant for his business operations. The grant was rescinded, and he was forced to lay off a sizeable portion of his workforce. This experience taught the entrepreneur that more diversification was needed in his funding sources to prevent the same situation from happening in the future.  This is where the ability to reflect becomes an essential business and life skill. Both Jerrid and Courtney believe reflection is an important component of achieving success: review what happened, analyze cause and effect, and devise a plan of action. Courtney mentions the traditional business reflection tool SWOT which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Jerrid mentions the point system which derives from the creative design philosophy. He also discusses traffic light activity. After a program or project, Jerrid and his team place their observations into three categories: green, yellow and red. Anything that went fantastically well goes in the green column. Things that were okay but could be improved are reserved for the yellow column. The red column is for items that need to be totally rethought or reworked.  Ultimately, an organization that presses pause and allows time for reflection will build resiliency in its system. Thus, mistakes and setbacks will be viewed as part of the process and not the end.

Change is afoot on this episode of Teaching Change as Jerrid and Courtney tackle the effect of social entrepreneurship on society. By their very nature, social entrepreneurs are disruptors of the status quo as they work to solve the issues that plague the world. Thus, change is a colossal horizon that looms in the minds of social entrepreneurs and provides plenty of fodder for conversations on how to make it happen.Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. – George Bernard ShawOne of the underlying missions of most social enterprises is to create positive social change which will assist in the overall advancement of society. Therefore, burgeoning social entrepreneurs are observant and inquisitive as they assess their surrounding environments. As a result, these innovators can firmly grasp perennial issues such as income equality or harmful environmental practices and chip away at these problems.Change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end. – Robin SharmaAs we may be all too aware, change does not happen overnight nor may it be well received. For this reason, change may be difficult to measure and its value challenging to quantify. The seeds of change that are being planted today through social enterprises such as Clean the World and Downtown Credo may not bloom until many years from now. While the incremental change in their respective fields has most certainly been achieved, eradication of the issues being addressed may not happen within our lifetimes. The evolutional change of our culture and attitudes typically takes a long time.Added to the challenge of change taking a long time is that people, at some level, are resistant to change. Sure there are always those few who are early adopters that may enjoy the chaos of rapid change, but for the most part, we tend to be comfortable in our routines and beliefs as human beings. To overcome this innate resistance, change-makers should move slowly and deliberately towards their goals. For if they move too fast, they run the risk of the change not being permanent and the situation boomeranging back to where it was at the start.If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. – Lao TzuUltimately, social entrepreneurs are held to a higher standard—ethically and morally. Sound change is a result of growth. As long as social entrepreneurs plan purposefully, reflect on their progress and adjust accordingly, the journey towards change will be a steady one.

A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself – Oprah WinfreyMentorship is an excellent combination of hindsight being 20/20 and paying it forward. As we traverse our professional lives and interests, we learn the lay of the land through stumbles and hopefully even more successes. Finding someone to show you the ropes is an invaluable connection that helps minimize pitfalls and anxiety-induced moments.Courtney and Jerrid have both been lucky to be on the receiving end of the mentor-mentee relationship. For Courtney, one of her mentors was her supervisor at her very first job out of library school. This supervisor went above and beyond the typical call of duty. Having been in the profession for quite some time, her mentor knew essential milestones Courtney needed to achieve to make herself marketable to a broader audience.Jerrid attributes his academic and career trajectories to a whole team of mentors. He counts off a sizable list of names to demonstrate that mentorship can take all shapes and forms. It does not necessarily have to be the whole shebang from just one person. Along the way, Jerrid has picked up pieces of wisdom that cater to the specific talents of each mentor. In turn, he was able to forge an informed path that led him to reach his goals.Colleagues are a wonderful thing – but mentors, that’s where the real work gets done – Junot DiazMentorship is a vital tool in social entrepreneurship where stakes are high, and there is little room for error. Finding a mentor may mean checking your ego at the door and putting yourself out there. All too often we like to go it alone and not ask for help, but in the business world, a mentor may save you time and money. The hosts encourage you to humble yourself. If you ask for advice and guidance, most people are willing to give it to you. A good start would be to look for people who are doing something similar to you and see what you can learn from them.Although the mentor-mentee relationship may be established through a formal process to fit your needs and interests, more often than not it happens naturally. As Jerrid reflects on his mentors, he realizes that he may not have thought of them as mentors at the time. However as he reflects back upon those interactions, he understands how these associations have benefited his life.  My mentor said, Let’s go do it, not You go do it. How powerful when someone says, Let’s – Jim RohnThe hosts then flip the coin to talk about the times they have been in the role of mentor. Jerrid was involved in the creation of the Leadership Ally program at Rollins College. Students in this program attend conferences related to leadership and devise projects based on this topic. Upon their return, students are paired with faculty so that faculty may help them develop an action plan. Jerrid recalls that these pairings increased student productivity and follow-through.  Jerrid and Courtney wrap up the show with a discussion of the teacher-student relationship and how closely (or not so closely) it may parallel that of the mentor-mentee relationship.

The word responsibility may not incite visions of carefree, fun-filled days but it is an important term that we all face throughout our daily lives. Whether it is taking care of your family, work, or paying bills, responsibility guides our decision-making process. The same can be said of the professional world where businesses and organizations strive to reach their goals and earn a profit. Along the way, these entities will formulate plans and operating philosophies that may have a profound impact on society and the planet. In this regard, are considerations such as the three Ps (e.g., people, planet, profit) tangential or integral in the running of the business?The price of greatness is responsibility – Winston ChurchillDetermining the responsibility of businesses to their communities, employees, and customers is a major concern in social entrepreneurship. After all, these are major avenues towards social value creation—a bedrock of the field. Still, there are some schools of thought that say a business’s number one responsibility is to its shareholders and that there should be no added impetus to better society.Jerrid brings up Starbucks as an example of a business that is generally on the right side of the responsibility debate. Starbucks has generated goodwill through its fair trade programs that pay coffee growers a living wage. Arguably, the wages could be more, but Star Bucks is on the right track. Starbucks also pays for part-time employees to have health insurance and have partnered with Arizona State University to offer its employees the opportunity to earn a Bachelor’s degree. While Starbucks is not a social enterprise, its actions show strives to be socially responsible.The question is why. Why do companies such as Starbucks invest time and money in their employees and societal betterment when others do not? There is no responsibility overlord dictating what must be done so what gives them the onus?  For one, today’s consumers even more so than previous generations are more concerned with the planet, treatment of people, and the well-being of their communities. Therefore, it makes business sense for companies to be mindful of issues that are important to their customer base. Courtney, for one, would pay an extra buck or two for a drink Starbucks to support the company’s social value endeavors. Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity – Horace MannWith that being said, not all companies have made the shift to social responsibility. This may be a matter of short-term versus long-term business goals. If a business is focused on the short term, the treatment of its labor force may not be as paramount as long as profits are good.However, this type of philosophy has a shelf life. Eventually, fissures will appear as morale declines and outside forces such as the environment and economy come to the forefront. At this point, external pressure may force the company to reevaluate its responsibilities.In the end, it is society’s responsibility to look after society’s needs. If we, the people, place value on the three Ps of people, profit, and the planet, businesses will ultimately follow our lead.

In this episode, Jerrid and Courtney tackle the topic of the “ASK”.  It is the moment when you finally speak up and ask for what you feel you deserve whether it’s a loan, partnership, raise, or promotion.  The ASK is one of the most stressful and anxiety causing things that social entrepreneurs have to conquer to gain success.  In any situation in which there are two or more parties, there is an underlining ask waiting to happen.Sometimes we are too afraid or too shy to get to the ask, and thus we lose out, and other times we do not structure the ask probably and lose out as well.  In many cases, though the ask gets us exactly what we were hoping for and more.  All social entrepreneurs have to master the art of the ask to move their enterprise forward and toward success.The ASK could come in all different forms from asking for a new partnership with sales to collaboration to gaining a loan or a million other types that a social entrepreneur may need it to take on.  The more developed the ASK and the confident and comfortable you are in asking the easier it is for the other party to give you what you want.When was the last time you struggled with an ASK?Have you ever missed out on something because you didn’t ASK?When has your ASK gotten you what you wanted?

Whether you have started a new job, moved to a different town, or created a social enterprise, at one time or another we have all felt some sense of being an outsider. In this week’s episode, Jerrid and Courtney embrace the role of the outsider and discuss how this position provides the perfect opportunity for innovation. As Jerrid defines it, outsiders in the social entrepreneurship world are people who are not of their industries before their social enterprise endeavors.“I get a kick out of being an outsider constantly. It allows me to be creative.” – Bill HicksA significant benefit of being an outsider is the potential for outside-the-box thinking. Outsiders tend not to have the preconceived notions that more experienced people in the field may possess. Industry insiders are by nature close to their professions and have an intimate view of the inner workings of their jobs. While this closeness reaps its rewards, it may also limit their ability to approach issues within their perspective fields from a fresh point of view. Thus, the need for the outsider.  In the social entrepreneurship world, the outsider is typically met with praise, but sometimes confusion may occur as well. On the one hand, outsiders may generate excitement as they disrupt the status quo and seek to remedy a social ill. On the other hand, the industry insiders may not take them as seriously due to the outsiders’ newness to the field. However, as outsiders become successful in their missions and generate profits, they become more respected by those who may have questioned their capabilities.You will never influence the world by being just like itSo, does it take an outsider to solve lofty problems? Maybe not always, but this was certainly the case in social entrepreneurial success stories Clean the World founded by Shawn Siepler and Recycle Across America founded by Mitch Hedlund. The owners of these social enterprises were very much outsiders when they started their respective businesses which may have given them the distance needed to bring their innovative solutions to life.

The old saying goes “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself,” but how true is this when it comes to failure? Failure is often seen in a negative light instead of a valuable learning tool. This week Courtney and Jerrid discuss their failures, and the role failure plays in the field of social entrepreneurship.For Courtney, failure isn’t a dirty word. Whether it is an opportunity for growth and self-reflection. This was indeed the case when she offered a staff book discussion. Courtney was super excited to share her love of reading with her coworkers and put a lot of thought into writing discussion questions, bringing snacks, and securing a room. When the time came for people to arrive, she began to watch the clock. As the minutes continued to pass, she came to the realization that no one was coming. Of course, Courtney was disappointed, but her unsuccessful event provided a teachable moment.Nothing good comes from staying in your comfort zoneJerrid believes that nothing good comes from staying within your comfort zone. That is why when the time came to start his own business, he leaped. Sure, staring into an uncertain future was frightening–especially when he had a family to consider. All the same, Jerrid did not let this fear hold him back even when he was not quite sure how specific bills might be paid. Luckily, Jerrid found success in his measured leap of faith, but he also had to be willing to accept the possibility that he might fail.“Fear has the potential to prevent them from living a full life and starting entrepreneurial ventures that could positively impact people’s lives”In his work with students, Jerrid understands why they fear failure. After all, no one wants to disappoint their family, friends, or themselves. However, this fear has the potential to prevent them from living a full life and starting entrepreneurial ventures that could positively impact people’s lives.When discussing failure, Jerrid looks towards serial social entrepreneurs for inspiration. These business owners have created more than one enterprise and have had some measure of success. Jerrid believes that there must have been failures along the way that served as building blocks for them to be successful. This becomes important for students to know. Failure is indeed a part of the process. As students go on to become part of various professional communities, they can look to successful companies for best practices and how to avoid pitfalls.“The fear of failure is much scarier than the actual fear. It is human nature to amplify all the bad things that could happen. But what about the awesome things that may happen if you succeed?”Moral of the story? If you’ve never failed, then you’ve never done anything of great significance.

What role does empathy play in social entrepreneurship? Is it important that practitioners in this field understand the experiences of those they help? These are the big questions that Jerrid and Courtney tackle in this week’s episode of Teaching Change.Not to be confused with sympathy, empathy is the ability to feel what others are feeling in a given situation. Empathy diverges from sympathy because while you may understand a person’s perspective, you are not necessarily endorsing or condoning it.One school of thought in social entrepreneurship is that fostering more empathy in society will lead to more social entrepreneurs. When you are in the business of changing people’s lives for the better, it is paramount that, to some extent, you understand their journeys and can identify why they feel the way they feel. Without empathy, the motivation to solve some of society’s greatest issues, such as homelessness, income inequality, and drug abuse, may not be as strong.Still, Jerrid receives mixed reviews when he talks about empathy in his social entrepreneurship class. While some students are receptive and embrace empathy, others are more ambivalent. For these students, empathy is another word for emotional and has no place in business. They believe that social entrepreneurs do not need to feel. They just need to do.Jerrid and Courtney reflect on how much empathy plays a role in their jobs and life in general. Jerrid recounted a frustrating experience he had recently when he suffered a tire blowout on his car. As he went to various auto stores to remedy the situation, he was met with an indifference which made a bad situation worse. Luckily, Jerrid continued his search and found someone who understood his frustration. This was the store that ultimately received his business.“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?” – Henry David ThoreauSure, empathy is a good practice. Both Jerrid and Courtney agree that it could solve a lot of conflicts that we see in the world today. However, could there ever be too much empathy? Courtney offers up a cautionary tale about an encounter in a Publix parking lot. A stranger approached her and asked her for money to pay for a car repair with the promise to pay it back. At the time, all Courtney could think about was what if the shoe was on the other foot and she needed financial assistance. Courtney gave the stranger the money and never heard from her again. Jerrid counters that it was not empathy that compelled Courtney to give the stranger money. At the point, Courtney modified her behavior and “gave the money to the universe,” sympathy became the motivating factor.Conversations on empathy in social entrepreneurship often end with how to build it—which is easier said than done. The necessity exists. The ability to empathize broadens people’s perspectives and allows them, metaphorically, to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Seeing a social ill from the person’s point of view that it affects the most has the potential to galvanize more people to seek innovative solutions. In essence, it will make the world a better place. 

Teaching Change takes a philosophical turn in this week’s episode when Jerrid and Courtney ponder their purpose in life. As educators, they find that this is an area where students have difficulty articulating a clear-cut answer—and so do Jerrid and Courtney! Finding one’s purpose remains an important part of the decisions and careers their students will undertake.This is also the case in the world of social entrepreneurship where the purpose is a major talking point. Of the two essential components of social entrepreneurship, wealth, and value, value has long been the more complicated one to decipher. In the process of creating social value, social entrepreneurs are changing people’s lives for the better. This type of value creation is often closely tied to their missions in life. Therefore, when social entrepreneurs are presenting their ideas and talking about their organizations, the conversations are often framed by purpose.“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction” – John F. KennedyJerrid’s ultimate purpose is to leave the world better than he found it. However, for him, the tangibles of this purpose continue to evolve and can take on many shapes and forms. Jerrid recounts how he started to put his purpose into action in the music field where he helped up and coming bands put on concerts. The gratification he experienced from this morphed into his desire to help people on a broader scale.Courtney’s purpose stems from her determination to savor life and to enjoy every moment. Lifelong learning is an important part of this. She wants to improve and broaden her horizons each day because life is way too short. In doing so, she motivates others to do the same.“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one” – Malcolm ForbesIs following one’s purpose selfish or selfless? Or is it a little bit of both? One of Courtney’s pieces of advice for students is to be selfish in their studies. If they find a way to make each assignment about themselves, they will be more motivated and interested in completing their work. The same could be said of social entrepreneurs. If their own life’s purpose drives their work and business practices, they are likely to be more invested in the success and prosperity of their organizations.  

In this episode, Jerrid and Courtney discuss Benefit Corporations, also known as B Corps. To obtain a B Corp certification, organizations must adhere to a set of guiding principles that involve the betterment of people and the planet. This process may also include site visits.  Another component of becoming a B Corp deals with legal status. As is the case with other business classifications, registering as a B Corp may impact taxation rates.Although a worthy certification, many people outside of the social justice and social entrepreneurial fields may not know about B Corps. However, as consumers, having this awareness could help people make more informed decisions about which businesses to the patron. Take a coffee shop for instance. Customers may decide to choose Coffee Shop A over Coffee Shop B if they discovered that Coffee Shop A paid its employees a livable wage and operated sustainably.   B Corps are still in the business of making money—they would not be able to survive otherwise. They just earn profits in a way that gives more than they take. In doing so, this philosophy encourages organizations to have larger conversations within their internal ecosystems and with shareholders. All the same, not every social enterprise has gone the B Corp route. Reasons include not seeing the value, not being able to afford it, or simply not qualifying.In the Central Florida area, examples of B Corps include Clean the World, Downtown Credo, and Ten Thousand Villages. Some B Corps may identify themselves to consumers with a sign on the door or next to the cash register. Information of this type is becoming increasingly important to consumers as they use their money to support various causes.Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.What are B Corps?Clean the WorldDowntown CredoTen Thousand Villages

Join Jerrid and Courtney for a walk down memory lane as they discuss their personal moments of obligation. In social entrepreneurship, the moment of obligation is when social entrepreneurs realize they have to make a change in their own lives or others for the greater good. However, as is evident in the episode, such realizations occur in many different fields and circumstances.For Jerrid, his moment of obligation came in the form of one of his students. Several years ago, he chaperoned a class of college students on a service-learning trip to Immokalee, FL. Immokalee is a rural, farm community that primarily grows tomatoes. Many of its citizens are immigrants and are among the working poor. Jerrid and his students were there to volunteer at a homeless shelter.Late in the day, Jerrid discovered that the parents of one of the students had been frantically trying to reach her. She had not returned their calls because she felt her parents would not approve of the trip. They were not the type of family that worked for free. In spite of her family’s values, this student went on to become a valuable leader in the service program—all without the knowledge of her parents.This encounter left a profound impact on Jerrid—even if he did not know it at the time. This is the case with many moments of obligation. Seeds are planted along the way until the feeling or thought of change is crystallized. Therefore, many moments of obligation are years in the making. As Jerrid continued his work, it troubled him that the student thought her wishes to better society and her parents’ philosophy of work were so at odds. Through his work with social entrepreneurship, Jerrid realized that common ground was attainable. He has discovered a multitude of ways that people can have a profitable, beneficial life and still better society.Courtney’s moment of obligation stemmed largely from her upbringing and a short stint as a middle school language arts teacher. While she lived comfortably as a teenager, there were some amenities her family could not afford. There were no computers and, by default, no Internet in her household. This lack of access to a powerful resource served as a building block for Courtney’s moment of obligation. Reflecting on her own background, she realized that everyone does not begin at the same starting line. Through her work at the library and as a champion of lifelong learning, she is able to direct people to resources that may give them a head start.As was the case with Jerrid, one of Courtney’s students also left an indelible mark on her life’s work. As a middle school teacher, Courtney enjoyed taking the journey with her students as they met their academic goals. One memorable student was the class clown who was frequently absent and did poorly on assignments. Courtney and the student would talk after class about his goals and what he wanted from life. Sadly, the student eventually failed her class and had to repeat the grade. The following year, the student came back for a visit and thanked her. He told her he had been listening to their conversations and he was determined to make something of his life. Courtney often looks back at this moment as motivation to listen to people’s stories and to understand everyone has their own unique paths.

Mums the word this week on Teaching Change as the hosts' interview Professor of English, disability rights advocate, and secret-keeper extraordinaire Crystal Smith.  For Crystal, Valencia College was supposed to be a temporary detour along her journey through life. However, Valencia quickly became a destination when Crystal connected with her students, her peers, and the campus culture.Crystal plays a unique role in the college’s social entrepreneurship program. She, along with Teaching Change host Jerrid Kalakay, are participants in Valencia’s First 30 course offerings where faculty team-teach a group of students using a common theme. Last year’s theme was social entrepreneurship. Crystal felt this was the perfect marriage of the social justice ideas explored in her composition class with the economics and sustainability inherent to social entrepreneurship.Crystal is also an active member of Valencia’s Peace and Justice Institute. She has taught workshops for Peace and Justice week. One of these workshops focused on the power of love letters to transform and heal. Participants wrote letters of encouragement to strangers and penned the missives on a designated tree. This past year’s theme was letters to the world where students expressed thoughts on news events such as the Syrian refugees and the Pulse tragedy.   For Crystal, teaching is a deeply personal experience for both her and her students. “The curriculum comes in the room when the students do,” says Crystal. The first essay prompt she gives her students is “tell a story only you can tell.” The intimate nature of the responding narratives often moves Crystal to tears as she reads stories of abuse, hunger, and trauma. These papers are deeply private and Crystal holds them in confidence as the ultimate secret keeper. This assignment builds a relationship with her students and paves the way for community building in the classroom.Crystal identifies herself as both learning disabled and physically impaired, both of which she readily shares with her students. For Crystal, the disclosure is empowering and models self-acceptance to those who may face challenges in their own lives. The first time Crystal articulated living with a disability was through a college essay when she applied to Stetson University. This proved to be a major stepping stone to the advocacy she practices today. Crystal encourages everyone to embrace their personal power and to claim their personal identity as she did all those years ago. Crystal Smith’s BiographyCrystal Smith is a professor of English with a bachelors and a masters degrees in English as well as an additional bachelors degree in American Studies focused on American sub-cultures.  In 2005, her work in American Studies and disability awareness campus activism at Stetson University led to her winning multiple awards, including the Dian Christensen Award for Community Activism. Her dissertation in language and literature and continued scholastic interest was on the role of disability, embodiment, and femininity in the literature of Flannery O’Connor. As a professor, Crystal’s interests include social entrepreneurship, and she was on Valencia College’s first team of faculty that developed social entrepreneurship into a meta-major pathway. With regard to disability activism at Valencia College, in 2016, Crystal served on Valencia College’s Accessibility Advisory Group, which is a sub-committee of Valencia College’s Faculty Association. Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.First 30The World Needs More Love LettersPeace and Justice Programs

Part two of Chris Castro’s interview tackles the bottom line of social entrepreneurship. Chris has mastered two of the big Ps, people, and planet, but what about the third one: profit? Chris delves into the business side of his enterprises to explain how doing good and doing well coincide with generating revenue. First up is Fleeting Farming, Chris’ nonprofit organization that transforms neighborhood lawns into produce-yielding farms. Revenue mechanisms attached to its services include: charging for garden installation, selling produce at farmer’s markets, and hosting corporate team building experiences. As Fleet Farming expands into other cities, the streams of revenue will continue to expand.  Another example Chris discusses is his for-profit clean energy consulting firm, Citizen Energy, which is based in Washington D.C. Founded in 2012, Citizen Energy improves the energy and water efficiency of buildings through the use of technology. This is done by training students to assess and benchmark the status of the buildings. Then Citizen Energy helps finance improvements in efficiency by providing upgrades such as LED lighting and building controls. This is done with no upfront costs to the building owner. Over time, Citizen Energy recoups its investment by sharing in the building’s energy savings now that expenses have been reduced. The conversation then turns to Chris’ day job with the City of Orlando. In his current position as Director of Sustainability, Chris helps the city develop policy and programs. He is proud of the work he has done to ensure the energy efficiency of Orlando’s government buildings and, as a result, save the city money. Chris helped implement the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (PACE) that provides home and business owners with financing that can be used to improve water and energy efficiency for their properties. Instead of repaying the city through a traditional loan payment, the home and business owners pay off the financing through an added fee on their property taxes. Another signature initiative for Chris has been Orlando’s Benchmarking and Transparency policy. This policy requires Orlando’s largest buildings to benchmark energy use and to report this data to the City. Orlando is one of just twenty-four cities in the country that has passed this policy. Ultimately, the adage of all work and no play does not apply to Chris. For him, it’s all play. His family and friends often join Chris in his endeavors. Sustainability is his passion and he has fun championing it.   Teaching Change Shout-outs  For more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.  Citizen Energy  Fleet Farming  Green Works Orlando

The surf’s up for this episode of Teaching Change! In this two-parter, the hosts talk chasing waves and sustainability with Chris Castro, the Director of Sustainability for the City of Orlando. Chris’ love of nature started at an early age in Miami, FL where he worked on his stepfather’s palm tree farm. His extracurricular activities included snorkeling, scuba diving, and surfing–which was a major reason why he chose to attend the University of Central Florida (UCF) as an undergraduate. Orlando’s location gave Chris easy access to Florida’s exciting beaches and waterways.Chris may have come for the surfing but he quickly found himself at home among Orlando’s emerging innovation and technology scene. Within these budding platforms, Chris saw the potential for initiatives involving sustainability. Chris’ path to his current advocacy and life’s work is a testament to the power of higher education and the personal development it affords. When asked about his interest in sustainability, Chris recalls the course in Environmental Sociology he took as a student at UCF. He credits this class by opening his eyes on how humans impact the world and each other with actions such as energy consumption and waste. These revelations sparked his interest in sustainability activism and in solutions to issues that plague the environment. That’s when Chris went mobile.He rallied his peers together and formed IDEAS for Us, which began in 2008 as a UCF interdisciplinary organization of students working on policy and solutions to make college campuses more sustainable. Now IDEAS for Us has chapters all over the world, including one at Valencia College. The focus of IDEAS for Us revolves around energy, water, food, waste, and ecology. Two initiatives spearheaded by IDEAS for Us include Kill-A-Watt and Green Your Game. For Kill-A-Watt, students living in dorms compete to conserve energy and save money to win scholarships. Green Your Game promotes recycling, reducing, and reusing efforts at UCF’s tailgating events.The conversation then turns to Chris’ work as an urban farmer and the importance of creating a sustainable agricultural system. Chris shares that food currently travels an average of 1500-1800 miles before it reaches a person’s plate. To address this issue, Chris co-created the Fleet Farming program that converts lawns and underused land into farms. Fleet Farming is made possible through Swarm Rides which consist of volunteers on bikes collecting the city-grown produce. The produce is then sold at farmers markets and to local vendors.Chris wears many hats in addition to his day job. This episode just scratches the surface. Be sure to check back next week to hear the conclusion of Chris Castro’s interview.Chris Castro’s Biography(Per LinkedIn)An award-winning sustainability professional, eco-entrepreneur, urban farmer, and community organizer working to accelerate the transition to a smart, resilient, and sustainable future.Chris is currently the Director of Sustainability, Senior Advisor to Mayor Dyer, and Co-chair of Smart Cities for the City of Orlando, developing partnerships, policies, and programs to support the sustainability, clean energy, & climate-related goals of Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Green Works Orlando initiative.In 2008, Chris co-founded IDEAS For Us, a global 501c3 non-profit & UN-accredited NGO, working to incubate global environmental solutions and fund local action that advances the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In 2013, he helped co-create Fleet Farming, a renowned urban farming program that is refining local food by building distributed organic agricultural systems through neighborhoods and communities.Chris has held sustainability & energy-related positions with University of Central Florida, Orange County Government, and the US Department of Energy. In 2012, Chris also co-founded a clean energy consulting firm, Citizen Energy, that provides custom energy efficiency & renewable energy solutions for commercial buildings in the Washington DC Metro area.In addition, Chris is a public speaker and has been recognized for his effort as an emerging environmental leader; including the ‘Guru of Green’ by the Orlando Business Journal, the 2017 Grist 50 Award, Top 30 Under 30 sustainability professionals by GreenBiz, formal recognition from President Bill Clinton, and a ‘Champions of Change’ awardee from the U.S. White House & Obama Administration. Chris has spoken at more than 100 conferences and events, including the United Nations HQ & the UN Rio+20 Summit, NASA Kennedy Space Center Innovation Expo, TEDx Orlando, Better Buildings Summit, and more. Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.Fleet FarmingGreen Works OrlandoIDEAS for Us

For this episode, Jerrid and Courtney venture out of the studio to chat with Diana Palmar, the Queen of Clean. Diana is the owner of City Maid Green located in Orlando’s College Park neighborhood. City Maid Green doubles as a cleaning service and retailer of plant-based cleaning supplies.Diana’s entrepreneurial journey started when she and her friend were looking to earn a little extra money. They settled on a maid service but were concerned about prolonged exposure to commercial cleaning products. So in a move that would make her former science teachers proud, Diana went to work experimenting with various natural ingredients that would be safer alternatives. Several YouTube videos and a share of Breaking Bad moments later, Diana found the right combination of plant ingredients that satisfied her needs.What started out as a summer venture has grown into a successful business that now has been an Orlando staple for 8 years. As City Maid Green’s customer base expanded, Diana hired additional staff to meet the demand. It was important to Diana to give her staff a living wage. Diana wanted her company to be a place where people enjoyed working and at the end of the day felt they had made a decent living for their hard work. Being a business owner has not been without its challenges. Whenever obstacles have gotten in her way, Diana uses her customers as motivation. Their interest in her green cleaning products and their positive feedback serve as an encouragement to continue forward. Diana says that the possibility of failure has never crossed her mind. Those with entrepreneurship spirits live with a higher level of risk. Even so, she advises anyone with a heart to start a company to go for it.Diana Palmar’s BiographyI studied visual communications and public relations at Berry College in Rome GA and moved to Orlando as a fresh graduate for my first graphic designer job at a non-profit. I’ve always believed in nurturing and using my talents and gifts to better society and this beautiful planet we live on. One summer, a friend and I teamed up to earn a little extra income by cleaning houses together. Having helped numerous companies with their branding as a brand designer, I launched my own cleaning company, City Maid Green. I wanted to create a company who’s existence was more than just the bottom line but one that worked with and for the flourishing of society and our earth. After researching numerous “green” cleaning products on the market, I ventured to develop my own that would exclude all synthetic ingredients and truly be GREEN. Over the last 8 years, City Maid Green has cleaned over 1,000 Orlando homes, sold thousands of cleaning products and hired dozens of Orlando women at a living wage. The ethos of our company is sustainability- for our workers, our earth, and our homes.Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below. City Maid Green

Rachel Allen, college professor, and peace connoisseur drops by the studio to discuss the origins of Valencia’s Peace and Justice Institute (PJI). Once a tiny seed of an idea, the institute has grown into a powerful vehicle for addressing social issues not only at the college but in the community as well.PJI’s work is rooted in the Principles of How We Treat Each Other, a list of guiding practices that foster respect and community building. In times of conflict or frustration, the principles can be used as tools of reconciliation. Rachel’s work with the principles evolved from retreats she attended where Parker Palmer’s touchstones were used to encourage conciliatory acts such as turning to wonder and speaking your truth. Rachel knew that the inner work conducted at the retreat would have to be fundamental to the mission of PJI. Through the years, Rachel has discovered that the beauty of the principles is that it values all the ways we are different.The principles are now firmly woven into Valencia’s culture. Faculty and staff are exposed to them as new hires. Departments request presentations to strengthen communication. Students learn about them through events, workshops and the New Student Experience course. Posters of the principles are even posted in many of the classrooms.The goodwill of PJI and the principles have expanded beyond Valencia and into the community. The institute has facilitated training to city employees including police officers and firefighters because Orlando’s government leaders recognize the importance of treating each other with respect. This has given birth to a community that more and more speaks with a common language on matters of peace. This was very much on display during the aftermath of the Pulse tragedy when Orlando united against hate and violence.Rachel recently fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams to meet President Jimmy Carter. She visited the Carter Center and heard from people that lead the work of peace and health throughout the world. Rachel’s admiration for President Carter and his teachings stem from his expression of love for everyone and his lessons of hospitality. The Declaration of Human Rights, drafted in 1948, was also a topic of discussion during her visit. President Carter believes this document is more important than ever—and so does Rachel. The Declaration of Human Rights will be the focus of PJI’s Peace Week which will take place either in late January or early July. Rachel Allen’s BiographyRachel Allen is a life-long educator and practitioner who supports others to practice and educate for peace and justice in their work and personal lives. She brings thirty- three years of experience as a leader and educator at diverse institutions including Eagle’s Nest Foundation, Outward Bound, the University of Oregon and Valencia College. At Valencia College in Orlando, Florida, Rachel is a tenured Professor of Humanities and founding member and director of the Peace and Justice Institute.Rachel holds an M. A. in theater from the University of Oregon and a B. S. in interdisciplinary studies from Northwestern University. In addition to her decades of teaching and facilitation experience, she has experience providing strategic planning and vision, program and curriculum design, fundraising and community-building practices. Rachel has studied with leading peacebuilders from Berkeley, Notre Dame, and Eastern Mennonite Universities is a certified Safe Zone advocate for the LGBTQ community and a National SEED Project Facilitator. Her community service includes work with the Coalition for the Homeless, Shepherd’s Hope, and Pine Hills Community Performing Arts Center. She serves on the board of ArtReach Orlando and is a member of the League of Women Voters. Rachel and her husband Willie Allen are the proud parents of two young children; they live in Maitland, Florida. Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.Peace and Justice InstitutePRINCIPLES FOR HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHEROur Practice of Respect and Community Building1. Create a hospitable and accountable community. We all arrive in isolation and need the generosity of friendly welcomes. Bring all of yourself to the work in this community. Welcome others to this place and this work, and presume that you are welcomed as well. Hospitality is the essence of restoring community.2. Listen deeply. Listen intently to what is said; listen to the feelings beneath the words. Strive toachieve a balance between listening and reflecting, speaking and acting.3. Create an advice free zone. Replace advice with curiosity as we work together for peace and justice. Each of us is here to discover our own truths. We are not here to set someone else straight, to “fix” what we perceive as broken in another member of the group.4. Practice asking honest and open questions. A great question is ambiguous, personal and provokes anxiety.5. Give space for unpopular answers. Answer questions honestly even if the answer seems unpopular. Be present to listen not debate, correct or interpret.6. Respect silence. Silence is a rare gift in our busy world. After someone has spoken, take timeto reflect without immediately filling the space with words. This applies to the speaker, as well – be comfortable leaving your words to resound in the silence, without refining or elaborating on what you have said.7. Suspend judgment. Set aside your judgments. By creating a space between judgments and reactions, we can listen to the other, and to ourselves, more fully.8. Identify assumptions. Our assumptions are usually invisible to us, yet they undergird our worldview. By identifying our assumptions, we can then set them aside and open our viewpoints togreater possibilities.9. Speak your truth. You are invited to say what is in your heart, trusting that your voice will be heardand your contribution respected. Own your truth by remembering to speak only for yourself. Using the first person “I” rather than “you” or “everyone” clearly communicates the personal nature of your expression.10. When things get difficult, turn to wonder. If you find yourself disagreeing with another,becoming judgmental, or shutting down in defense, try turning to wonder: “I wonder what brought herto this place?” “I wonder what my reaction teaches me?” “I wonder what he’s feeling right now?”11. Practice slowing down. Simply the speed of modern life can cause violent damage to the soul. By intentionally practicing slowing down we strengthen our ability to extend non-violence to others—and to ourselves.12. All voices have value. Hold these moments when a person speaks as precious because these are the moments when a person is willing to stand for something, trust the group and offer something he orshe sees as valuable.13. Maintain confidentiality. Create a safe space by respecting the confidential nature and content ofdiscussions held in the group. Allow what is said in the group to remain there.

In this episode, Jerrid and Courtney ponder the cost of social value, one of the core tenets of social entrepreneurship—the other being wealth creation. As a springboard for the conversation, Jerrid refers to Certo and Miller’s “Social Entrepreneurship: Key issues and concepts” which defines social value as having little to do with profit. Instead, social value is the fulfillment of long-standing needs such as food, water, and medical attention.The hosts acknowledge how often they take comforts such as the Internet and electricity for granted because they are so readily accessible. Jerrid recalls a time when this was not the case. During the infamous 2004 hurricane season, Orlando was hit with three consecutive hurricanes. In addition to dealing with damaged homes, many people had to cope without water and electricity for days. This experience gave Jerrid a small taste of the hardships people face daily around the globe and further motivated him to help people facing social inequality.For Courtney, the library is a perfect extension of social value. The magnitude of its resources and outreach strive to place everyone on an even playing field. In fact, in the aftermath of the Orlando hurricanes, libraries operated as safe havens where citizens could access helpful community resources, power, and the Internet.One critical component missing from Certo and Miller’s definition of social value is the environment. The environment is a hot button issue with today’s social entrepreneurs as they look toward sustainability and combat climate change. Having recently weathered droughts and wildfires in Florida, this issue resonates with the hosts.Ultimately, there is no definitive formula to measure social value. Unlike wealth creation, there are no tangible sales figures or profits to show a return on investment. This presents an ongoing challenge to social entrepreneurs who must not only articulate how their organizations will benefit investors financially but also how their organizations will benefit society.   Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.“Social Entrepreneurship: Key issues and concepts” by Trevis Certo and Toyah Miller

This episode is brought to you by the three Ps: People, Planet, and Profit. Valencia’s Director of Sustainability, Resham Shirsat, joins the hosts in-studio to chat about sustainability and how it intersects with social entrepreneurship. She is also a fellow member of Jerrid’s Guiding Coalition who helped bring social entrepreneurship education to Valencia.Resham’s passion for sustainability is driven by her own academic journey. As an undergraduate, she enrolled in an elective environmental class that changed her life. Resham credits the class for exposing her to some of the harmful ways profit was being earned at the expense of people and the planet.  Ever since Resham has embraced the mission to grow the economy in a way that is socially equitable and environmentally viable.Resham’s work with students includes holding presentations, facilitating workshops, advising a branch of the IDEAS student club, and working with Valencia’s Career Center. The outreach to the Career Center gives Resham the platform to educate students on the multitude of sustainable career paths. She believes sustainability is the fastest-growing job industry and employment in fields such as data management, information technology, and engineering will be essential to support the work.Resham also shares news about Valencia’s upcoming Associates of Science degree program in Energy Management Controls Technology. A result of a $900,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, students will utilize campus and community resources outside of the classroom to align their coursework with real-world applications.Outside of Valencia, Resham participates in Orlando initiatives such as the Smart City Summit and the Building Energy and Water Efficiency Strategy (BEWES) program. This participation allows her to support the city’s sustainability efforts by matching its needs with the college’s workforce development.When reflecting on her role at the college, Resham defines her position as increasing revenue and protecting profits while doing good for people and the planet. She wants everyone to know that small changes in energy use and waste management can make a big difference. Every contribution towards sustainability counts. Rethink. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.Valencia College’s Sustainability DepartmentTalking Trash with Resham Shirsat: Take the Pledge for a Mini Desktop BinBuilding Energy and Water Efficiency Strategy – City of OrlandoEnergy Management Controls Technology Program

Welcome to Episode 3 of Teaching Change. Since the last episode, Courtney has presented at the Florida Library Association Conference. Her presentation focused on how the Valencia East Book Nerds, the student club she advises, has helped its members succeed in their personal and academic lives. Meanwhile, Jerrid took a group of students on a field trip to First Green Bank to learn about its sustainability program. Kyle Sanders, the manager of the Winter Park branch, was a great host as the group learned about several of the bank’s initiatives such as energy efficiency, LEED-certified building material, recycling, and solar roof panels.The conversation turns to Chris Miller’s blog post “10 Things Social Entrepreneurship is Not.” Chris Miller is the founder and CEO of Mission Center L3C. Jerrid is quite fond of the list because it covers common misconceptions that he has encountered during the course of his work.At the top of the list is social entrepreneurship is not Facebook. As social media continues to be a ubiquitous part of society, it may come as no surprise that some people confuse the two. However, social entrepreneurship has more to do with business practices and social value than it does with likes and posting. Sure, Facebook can be used as a tool to promote businesses that may include social entrepreneurs, but the purpose of each is quite different.Jerrid and Courtney also cover the blog’s assertions that social entrepreneurship is not charity, not necessarily nonprofit, and that it is most definitely not anti-profit. TOMS Shoes, which has been quite profitable, is a great example of this criteria. At TOMS Shoes, every time someone purchases a pair of shoes another pair is donated.In another part of the world, India’s Grameen Bank also exemplifies how social entrepreneurship is not a synonym for charity. Founded by Muhammed Yunus, Grameen gives microloans to people who need small loans but are not eligible for traditional loans because they do not have capital. Muhammed Yunus and his bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.The rest of Miller’s list is reviewed, including social entrepreneurship not being a fad and not being about corporate responsibility. All of the “not” talk ultimately leads to a clearer understanding of how social entrepreneurship operates and how it impacts the world.Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.“10 Things Social Entrepreneurship is Not” by Chris MillerFirst Green BankGrameen Bank

Dr. Leonard Bass joins Jerrid and Courtney for Episode 2. Leonard is the Dean of Learning Support at Valencia’s east campus. As dean, he oversees New Student Experience, the library, Supplement Learning, the Academic Success Center as well as a host of other projects and initiatives. Plus, Leonard is Jerrid and Courtney’s boss!Leonard tells the story of how he became involved with Valencia’s social entrepreneurship work thanks to Jerrid. At the time, Jerrid was working on his doctorate and saw a potential for starting a program.  Leonard says, “It is important for those in leadership to be comfortable with new ideas.”The New Student Experience course also provided fresh perspectives into the value of social entrepreneurship education. The first common read for the course was Blake Mycoskie’s Start something that matters which tells the story of social entrepreneurship powerhouse TOMS Shoes. The basic principle of the company’s business model is that for every pair of shoes that is purchased one pair is donated.The themes in the book provided a toolbox of strategies for students to use in their academic and everyday lives. Themes discussed included collaboration, building networks, time management, and good reputations. The positive student response to the book was another impetus for starting a full-fledged social entrepreneurship program. To that end, Jerrid wrote a white paper and he teamed with Leonard to look for others who were interested in joining what Jerrid fondly calls the Guiding Coalition.The social entrepreneurship program has been a success so far. Leonard credits this with recruiting faculty who have a deep desire for the work and who have a certain level of expertise. He also found it essential to devise a strategic plan to assist in articulating the program’s purpose.One other biggie, collaboration is key. You just might find allies in the most surprising places. For Leonard, his pleasant surprise came in the form of Valencia’s Sustainability Department. While he did not originally think to partner with Sustainability, the director Resham Shirsat has become one of the program’s staunchest advocates. So throw those assumptions out the door!With what little spare time he has, Leonard serves on Covenant House Florida’s board which focuses on addressing the needs of homeless youth. He is a classically trained bassoonist, and also participates in mud runs. Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.Start something that matters by Blake MycoskieCovenant House FloridaTough Mudder

Join Jerrid and Courtney as they examine the fine, often interchangeable, the line between social entrepreneurship and social innovation.  As Jerrid explains it, social entrepreneurship encompasses using business practices to create wealth and social value.In some ways, social innovation can be thought of as the umbrella under which social entrepreneurship falls. This takes into account all of the people who may be socially innovative but not necessarily social entrepreneurs. To this end, the purpose of social innovation is for social progress and value creation. This purpose divulges ever so slightly from social entrepreneurship because social innovation may or may not have a wealth-generating component.  Still with us?Take this example. Jon Territo—true story—is a music professor at Valencia who wants to find ways to infuse social innovation into his courses. One idea is to have his choral groups and ensembles play at fundraisers so students can learn the benefits of giving back to their communities.  Or perhaps his students may perform at a concert where the admission is two can goods. Both options fall under the social innovation umbrella.While seeds of social innovation may be planted in the course lessons of some faculty, the main focus of the work at Valencia is social entrepreneurship. The academic program helps students create businesses that do well and do good. Courtney is curious how Jerrid teaches such a broad topic to his students. As it turns out, Jerrid has plenty of resources in his toolkit which includes a systematic literature review he co-authored with Rollins College Professor Mary Conway Dao-on.Jerrid, as does Courtney, likes to teach through examples. He spends the first 2 weeks on terminology then the class begins to narrow down the list and dissect the remaining definitions until a cohesive understanding emerges.The show wraps up with the hosts sharing their extracurricular activities. Courtney was inspired by a workshop she attended at the Orlando Public Library that focused on seizing your dreams. She was also thrilled that the student club she co-advises, the Valencia East Book Nerds, received Program of the Year for their banned book trivia event.Jerrid was also having a great week. He is also an advisor to a student club, the Social Entrepreneurship Student Organization (SESO). SESO hosted a successful event where social entrepreneurship extraordinaire, Eric Glustrum, was the guest speaker. An inspiration in the field, Eric Glustrum’s credentials include being an Ashoka Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, Forbes 30 Social Entrepreneurship Under 30, and founder of Watson U.   Teaching Change Shout-outsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.“The winding road of social entrepreneurship definitions: a systematic literature review” by Mary Conway Dato-on and Jerrid Kalakay  http://www.watsonuniversity.org/

In the inaugural episode of Teaching Change, Professor Jerrid Kalakay and Librarian Courtney Moore set the stage to chronicle social entrepreneurship education at Valencia College and beyond. As Jerrid defines it, social entrepreneurship is the practice of using innovative business practices to create social value and wealth. The co-hosts, who both work at Valencia, begin with personal introductions that provide details on their respective backgrounds and interests.At Valencia, Jerrid pulls double duty as a full-time instructor for the New Student Experience course and as the Social Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator—and this is just his day job! Jerrid, having earned a Ph.D. in leadership and change with a focus on social entrepreneurship, brings a vast field of knowledge to the podcast. He has long been a steadfast advocate for social entrepreneurship education and was instrumental in developing the program at Valencia. A married man and father of three, Jerrid’s motivations are quite simple. For his family and society as a whole, it is his hope that everyone makes the world a little better than when they found it.While Jerrid is very much the insider, Courtney is stepping into new territory with a podcast on social entrepreneurship. Most days she is either at the library’s reference desk or teaching information literacy instruction classes. Courtney’s role as a librarian has constantly enhanced her worldview and has set her up as a staunch supporter of lifelong learning who walks the walk. Her master’s degree in library science and information studies has allowed her a professional platform to champion the value and access to information. Courtney’s burgeoning knowledge of social entrepreneurship is bolstered by her experience as an educator and self-confessed podcast addiction.Outside of work, both Jerrid and Courtney make the most of their spare time. Jerrid is a not-so-undercover fanboy who loves a good binge of nerdy television. The SyFy channel is a must. Jerrid also has an affection for hip hop music due to its running themes of shared experience.Courtney moonlights as a member of Weekend Toastmasters—a club that builds public speaking and leadership skills. She also has ambitions to one day parlay her fiction writing hobby into a Shonda Rhimes, “Scandal”-size gig.Teaching Change Shout-OutsFor more information on topics discussed during the show, see the list below.Clean the WorldDowntown CredoFluente