2016-2017 Events

This workshop provided an opportunity for Working Groups to develop a comprehensive strategy for helping employers find skilled workers who may have a criminal history and resources that will support their decision to hire FIPs. Megan French-Marcelin, policy research manager of the ACLU, and Roberta Meyers, director of National H.I.R.E. Network (Legal Action Center), presented insights from their organizations. 

This webinar discussion series provides social ventures with access to experts and the opportunity to share insights and common challenges with a small group of other social entrepreneurs. They are open to the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio, as well as ventures that have been invited to reapply to the fund in a future round. This session was led by Andrea Turner Moffitt, BUS’07, co-founder of Plum Alley Investments; and Dara Kagan, associate director of member engagement and operations at Plum Alley. They spoke about the fundraising landscape for social ventures, including an overview of the various stages of funding and what ventures should be aware of at each stage, how to think through the right type of capital for each venture, and various fundraising channels and tips for ventures to successfully navigate them.

At the second annual Nonprofit Board Showcase, the center invited alumni and professionals interested in joining a nonprofit board in efforts to connect them with nonprofits currently looking to expand their board. Participants had the chance to meet with 17 nonprofit organizations to find one that best fits their interests. Organizations included: Bronx Community Charter School; Made in Brownsville; a.i.r. nyc; Literacy Inc.; Bronx Charter School for the Arts; Trek Medics; Refoundry; ServiceCorps; Bronx Arts Ensemble; New Women New Yorkers; BUGS; The Acting Company; Historic House Trust of New York City; Chen Dance Center; Spectrum 360; and Project Renewal (Junior Board).
Organized by the center and hosted by Giacomo Iacoangeli, ’06BUS, at GLG.

Center staff gathered at the home of Professor Bruce Usher for a day filled with brainstorming and fun activities. The team spent the day reflecting on the past academic year, set goals for the upcoming academic year, and created action items to achieve these goals. Following the meeting, staff members went to Camaje, where Chef Abigail Hitchcock taught staff how to prepare a Moroccan dinner and the perfect technique for flipping crepes! 

This workshop was designed as a pilot for teaching the entrepreneurship course for the fall 2017 REAP Immersion course at Taconic Correctional Facility. Professor Daniel Ames tested the pilot at the workshop with business school students and staff to gain feedback and insights on ways to perfect the case study and teaching process to help ease the overwhelming experience of reentering society for participants of the class and FIPs. 

Seven social innovators were selected through Professor Bruce Usher’s Investing in Social Ventures due diligence course to pitch their social venture to the investment board members for consideration for the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures. The board selected to fund four Columbia-affiliated social ventures: Plentify, GlobalVision, Folia Water, and Made in Brownsville. For more information about the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio, please see Appendix Six. 

This workshop was designed as a pilot for teaching the entrepreneurship course for the fall 2017 REAP Immersion course at Taconic Correctional Facility. Two EMBA students tested the pilot at the workshop with a diverse group of FIPs. Participants provided valuable feedback and insights on ways to improve the teaching process to help ease the overwhelming experience of reentering society. 

Students traveled to the offices of Gimlet Media, a digital media company and podcast network, focused on producing high-quality narrative podcasts, founded by Alex Blumberg and Matthew Lieber, to meet with Lisa Chow, ’13BUS / ’12JRN, host of StartUp podcast. Lisa shared the intricacies of narrative journalism, start-up culture, and careers in media.
Organized by the SEC.

The forum brought together climate science and business leaders to understand how a changing climate can impact specific sectors of the global economy. Throughout the day, speakers and attendees explored topics that address the value and opportunity of using science-based approaches to inform and guide business decisions. Panel topics included: coastal property and sea level; agriculture and climate; reinsurance and extreme climate events; utilities and emissions; water and climate; and the intersection of climate and investment.
Organized by the center and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Columbia University student clubs travelled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the "People’s Climate Movement March for Climate, Jobs, and Justice."
Marketed by the GBC.

The seventh annual retreat provided an invaluable opportunity for members in leadership roles from the SEC, GBC, Pangea Advisors, Microlumbia, NBLP, and center staff and faculty to engage in open discussions and brainstorming to address challenges and set goals for the upcoming academic year.

Mentors, EDs, and students of the NBLP celebrated the year’s accomplishments and student projects at the home of Shari Levine, ’87BUS. Attendees shared stories about their projects and experience with the nonprofit boards while networking with peers. Professor Ray Horton shared insights on the importance of nonprofit board service.

The center hosted another breakfast workshop for the Business Association, which is dedicated to creating employment opportunities for FIPs. The association develops strategies to identify and pre-train candidates to meet the specific needs of member businesses. In addition, it provides support and resources to member businesses, and shares insights on effective practices with a broader range of employers than has traditionally been reached.

Students gathered together to volunteer in cleaning up and planting trees at the Henry Hudson Park in the Bronx.
Organized by the GBC.

The Net Impact NYC (NINYC) Summit featured industry experts and thought leaders on subjects pertaining to professional growth and leadership development in the social impact space. It brought together cross-sector professionals who are looking to leverage their skills for social good, network with like-minded individuals and take their careers to the next level. The theme for this year’s inaugural summit was “Turning (Individual) Passion into (Collective) Action,” and explored questions like: Think about your passions. What motivates you? What is something you’re not willing to give up? What do you want to change? But don’t stop there–how can you channel your energy and passion into making a positive social and environmental impact in your workplace, community, and the world?
Organized by the Net Impact NYC Professional Chapter

A group of students explored Edenworks’ facilities in Brooklyn, NY on a tour led by one of the co-founders. Edenworks, a Brooklyn-based urban farming startup, grows fish and greens using aquaponic technology—a process that involves bacteria turning fish waste into a rich fertilizer—inside vertical farms and packs ready-to-eat greens for grocery customers. Come learn about this innovative urban farming startup and see first-hand the inner workings of aquaponic farming.
Organized by the GBC.

The GBC hosted Neal "Rudy" Rickner, ’12BUS, for a talk on how a former fighter pilot in the Marines found his way to Google and Makani. Makani, formerly Google [X], develops energy kites, a new type of wind turbine that can access stronger and steadier winds at higher altitudes to generate more energy with less materials.
Organized by the GBC.

Will Fowler, vice president of operations at Sesame Workshop, hosted a group of students who are interested in education to discuss the organization, a Q&A session, and a guided tour of the office. Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street and more. Sesame Workshop’s mission is to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Sesame Workshop's work promotes learning with real, measurable results, a fact borne out by numerous studies and sustained through a research-intensive process.
Organized by the SEC.

The Columbia Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator was a five day business model validation lab designed to assist early-stage social ventures. The lab covered topics including customer discovery, rapid prototyping, cost assumptions, and strategic road mapping, and provided ventures with the opportunity to meet with mentors in their respective fields to get professional feedback.
This event was a cross-campus initiative with the Unreasonable Institute, and organized by the SIPA, the Social Entrepreneurship Club at SIPA, the SIPA Master of Public Administration in Development Practice, the Columbia University Design Studio, Columbia Entrepreneurship, and the center.
 

Professor Tracy Breslin led an interactive lunch discussion that addressed student questions on current initiatives in U.S education and career trends and opportunities for first- and second-year MBA/EMBA students.
Organized by the SEC.

Andras Forgacs, the co-founder and CEO of Modern Meadow, a Brooklyn-based biofabrication company that grows leather from living cells, visited with students to share an overview of the history of Modern Meadow and discussed the outlook for the company. The company makes leather that does not kill animals, is free of blemishes, hair, and fat, and is made with 80% less waste compared to traditional leather. Over the past year, Modern Meadow has raised over $40M to further fuel its growth.
Organized by the GBC.

SEC celebrated the end of another amazing year for the club and business school. Members, along with their friends and pets, met in Central Park for a picnic and games.
Organized by the SEC.

Warby Parker hosted MBA students who were interested in learning more about the company’s business model, taking a tour of the office, and spending some time in the showroom for shopping. Panelists included speakers from the supply chain, consumer insights, customer experience strategy, technology, finance, brand management, and technology product strategy departments.
Organized by the SEC, Retail and Luxury Goods, Columbia Entrepreneurs Organization, and Travel and Business Group.

Club members traveled to Bridgespan for an office visit to learn about their upcoming initiatives, and the company was pleased to announce the third annual Social Sector Emerging Leaders (SSEL) Forum. The SSEL is a highly selective program focused on giving top students with career aspirations in the social sector the opportunity to strengthen their business and leadership skill set while gaining exposure to the Bridgespan Group, a leader in nonprofit strategy consulting, and its extraordinary leadership team.
Organized by the SEC.

More than 250 Columbia Business School alumni and friends gathered at a private club on the Upper East Side for the second annual Tamer Center for Social Enterprise Awards Breakfast, which raised a record-breaking $1 million in support of the center’s curriculum and initiatives. The 2017 Horton Award for Excellence in Social Enterprise was presented to Shaiza Rizavi, ’96BUS, and her husband, Jon Friedland, ’97BUS, for their commitment to social enterprise at the School and throughout New York City.

Following the engaging discussions at this year's Social Enterprise Conference, "Cities Transformed," this panel expanded on critical issues addressing major cities and explored innovative ideas and initiatives around sustainability. Panelists covered the topics of climate change, entrepreneurship, energy, as well as the role of technology, design, and culture in maintaining and improving today's cities. Speakers included: Nick Colvin, product manager at Intersection; Sander Dolder, director at Urban Technology, Innovation and Sustainability, New York City Economic Development Corporation; and Andrew Salkin, senior vice president at 100 Resilient Cities; and moderated by Cassim Shepard, founding editor-in-chief of Urban Omnibus, as well as adjunct professor at Columbia GSAPP, urban planner, author, geographer, and documentary filmmaker.
Organized by the SEC.

It was refreshing to hear such an eloquent discussion of the various considerations that come into play with ESG/impact investing—from client motivations to return expectations to labels and reporting. It was also great to get some color on recent client conversations and anecdotes Goldman has encountered in the evolution of this work. ESG, SRI, MRIs, PRIs—the impact investing field can be an alphabet soup of acronyms. Megan Starr parsed through this vocabulary to discuss the current state of thinking around the main approaches to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and impact investing, corresponding investment tools and examples of ESG and impact investments, and lessons learned from more than 450 investor conversations over the past year.

John Dionisio from Meridiam Infrastructure shared his experience in public-private partnerships in the U.S. and talked about sustainability issues. Meridiam is one of the largest infrastructure funds in the U.S., with projects around the country including new LaGuardia Terminal and Port of Miami Tunnel. Sustainability is both a core value for Meridiam and a point of differentiation. Their ESG principles are considered the strictest in the industry.
Organized by the GBC.

Attendees joined a panel discussion with UN Women, the United Nations arm dedicated to eliminating discrimination and advancing equality for women and girls worldwide. A leading champion for global gender equality, UN Women works across governments and international organizations to achieve economic, social and political progress for women. Attendees heard from experts working in UN Women’s Youth Initiative, He for She Campaign, Intergovernmental Processes, and the Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. Prior to the panel, students toured the United Nations.
Organized by the SEC.

MBA students learned about REAP and the opportunity they will have in fall 2017 to teach entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and negotiations with an MBA/EMBA team in a medium security women’s prison. Professors Daniel Ames and Damon Phillips will be leading the new elective course: REAP Immersion.

Attendees learned from recent MBA grads on their experiences working in the energy finance industry. They heard about alumni experiences, career choices, and what they see as opportunities in this dynamic, trillion-dollar industry.
Organized by the GBC.

Emily Rafferty was the kick-off keynote speaker at #WeAllRise CWiB Women’s Week. Emily Rafferty is the president wmerita of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the first woman to serve as president in nearly 100 years. She is also the chair of the New York Federal Reserve Bank. Ms. Rafferty is an inspiration and was named by Crain’s New York Business one of New York City’s 100 most influential women from 2009 through 2013.
Organized by the Columbia Women in Business Club.

MBA students taught the inaugural workshop as part of REAP’s business curriculum to formerly incarcerated women from Hour Children, an organization that helps incarcerated (and formerly incarcerated) women and their children successfully rejoin the community. Kevin White, ’17BUS; Edward Krudy, ’17BUS; Natasha Korgaonkar, ’18BUS; and Federico Martino,’18BUS, taught a case that covered education options, its costs and payoffs, as well as a role-playing case where students thought critically about consensus building and problem-solving. This curriculum will be taught by MBA students in a local prison in fall 2017.

This forum explored how to build peace within our communities in the U.S. and globally, with the aim of catalyzing policy, education, and practice into action. The forum included distinguished speakers, panel discussions, a research showcase, and multiple networking opportunities, such as: Judith Matloff, author and Columbia Journalism professor; Paul Gillingham, historian of modern Mexico and author; Dipali Mukhopadhyay, author and assistant professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University; Jamila Raqib, executive director of the Albert Einstein Institution and research affiliate of the Center for International Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Áine Fay, president, Concern Worldwide USA; Adrienne L. Fricke, senior fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative; Anne-Marie Grey, executive director and CEO, USA for UNHCR; Lara Setrakian, CEO and founder, Syria Deeply.
Organized with support from the Columbia University Master’s Program in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at the School of Professional Studies, the Morton Deutsch International Center on Cooperation and Conflict Resolution at Columbia’s Teachers College, the Center on Global Economic Governance at the SIPA, and the center.

EY Infrastructure Advisory partner Tom P. Rousakis presented his practice and projects and shared his thoughts on PPP and infrastructure development during the Trump presidency. The practice is actively growing and there is a potential for post-MBA recruitment.
Organized by the Real Estate Association and GBC.

Have you ever wondered about the balance between crime and punishment or the difference between justice and rehabilitation? "Impact Prisons" offered a definitive view into how we can improve and address criminal justice reform. Speakers included: Glenn Martin, president and founder of JustLeadershipUSA; Tommy Safian, executive director of Refoundry; David Thorpe, director of employment at the Fortune Society; and many more.
Organized by Impact Prisons and the center.

Members of the club traveled to London to learn from and network with leading impact investors. Students visited with Acumen, GIIN, and JPM Social Finance, and hosted an event with the Columbia London Alumni.
Organized by the SEC.

The “Beyond the Bars Conference,” brought together a trans-disciplinary group of scholars, students, activists, advocates, policy makers, and government officials to advance the work of ending mass incarceration and mass criminalization and building a just and safe society. Attendees participated in a program that deepened the collective analysis, strengthened the network of those working for change, and made visible the many ways those from the academy and the community can engage in action.
The Beyond the Bars Organizing Team is led by the Criminal Justice Caucus at Columbia School of Social Work, the Center for Justice at Columbia University and the Beyond the Bars Fellows; and supported by the center.

Club members gathered for networking dinners at restaurants across NYC.
Organized by the SEC.

The center hosted the inaugural breakfast to create a Business Association dedicated to hiring FIPs. The association will develop strategies to identify and pre-train candidates to meet the specific needs of member businesses. In addition, it will provide support and resources to member businesses, and share insights on effective practices with a broader range of employers than has traditionally been reached.

Club members from both GBC and Gourmet Club dined with faculty at NYC's first carbon neutral and B-Corp restaurant. Restaurant owners, farmers, and notable staff led a conversation on operations and benefits of having a sustainable mission, including farm to fork and composting, waste management and recycling, renewable energy procurement, and community involvement.
Organized by the GBC and Gourmet Club.

Students interested in a career in impact investing joined NFF CEO and industry leader Antony Bugg-Levine for an informal discussion about what impact investing is, where it comes from, and where it’s going, as well as the skills needed to land and succeed in the right impact investing job.
Organized by the SECs Microlumbia leadership team and the center.

Members of the club traveled to Washington, D.C. to learn from and network with leaders in the international development sector. Students visited companies such as Arabella, Dalberg, the World Bank, USAID, IFC, and more, and hosted an event with Columbia D.C. Alumni Club.
Organized by the SEC.

Back-to-back panels showcased a variety of roles where students can apply strategy and operations or finance and investing skillsets at a nonprofit, in the public sector, or for a social impact-oriented organization/division. Alumni talked about what they do day-to-day, unique challenges faced by their organizations, as well as recruiting tips and advice to help best navigate this space. Time was also dedicated to dialogue between the audience and panelists to answer individual questions and networking.
Organized by the CMC and supported by the center.

Students interested in working work with an organization over the summer that creates social or environmental value attended the info session to learn how to apply to the SESF. The SESF program supports students engaged in summer internships with nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations (or its equivalent outside the U.S.), NGOs, public sector/government organizations, and for-profit social ventures with a clearly defined social or environmental purpose incorporated into the core reason for operation, which is evident in both mission and practice. Fellows typically work on projects that focus on areas such as strategic planning, business plan development, marketing and product strategies, financial analysis, operational improvements, and performance evaluation; and in fields such as impact investing (including venture philanthropy and social venture capital), microfinance, social entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprise development, health care, education, community development, sustainability and the environment, and more. 

Students gathered within their clusters for a community-building fundraising event where they auctioned off experiences based on their individual talents to their peers. Collectively, MBA students and clubs raised $96,338.98 for the SESF program.
Organized by the SEC. 

SESF recipients Ron Bucca, ’17BUS, and Jad Najjar, ’17BUS, spoke about their work with refugees and discussed ways the Columbia Business School community can respond to the current crisis. Eat Offbeat provided lunch and shared background on how their venture supports and employs refugees in the U.S.
Organized by the SEC.

In efforts to help support peers interested in working work with an organization over the summer that creates social or environmental value through the Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship (SESF) program, the school’s rugby teams hosted a “Date Night Auction,” with all proceeds going towards SESF. Juranimal made a special performance at the event.
Organize by the SEC and rugby teams. 

Panelists Craig Livingston, ’98BUS, managing partner at Exact Capital; Jennifer Steinberg, senior project manager at West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing; and Heidi Burkhart, president and owner at Dane PCG, shared insights on the affordable housing sector in New York City.
Organized by the SEC and Real Estate Association.

13th, directed by Ava DuVernay and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars. The film, titled after the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, explores the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the U.S. Following the screening, Professor Damon Phillips led a discussion with participants reflecting on the film.
Organized by the SEC and Black Business Students Association.

Students travelled to Sunset Park, Brooklyn to tour the recycling facility and learn about their sustainable building features. The building is made of almost entirely recycled steel, includes a 600 kW photovoltaic installation, and just off the west end of the pier, three reefs were constructed to provide new habitat for marine life.
Organized by the GBC.

In this discussion, Amanda Kizer and Chris Farrow, both members of B Lab’s GIIRS team, spoke about the mechanics and standards behind adopting an impact measurement framework. They gave an overview of the GIIRS Rating process, and provided details on the “B Corporation” and “Pending B Corporation” certifications available to social ventures.

Attendees heard from a panel of experts and received greater perspective and granularity on what makes an investment “sustainable,” as well as financially attractive and accessible to different types of investors.
Organized by the Sustainable Business Committee of the Columbia Business School’s Alumni Club of New York.

The advisory board held its spring meeting at Low Library where they discussed the state of the center and School. Staff presented updates on new initiatives—REAP, the Climate Change and Business Program, and the Scholarship for Displaced Persons—as well as center finances, cross-campus engagement, the 2017 Social Enterprise Leadership Forum, Awards Breakfast, and other initiatives. Justine Zinkin, ’02BUS, CEO of Neighborhood Trust (NTFP) and recipient of the 2017 Social Enterprise Leadership Award, shared insights on the transformation of NTFP and how her business degree helped with her career pursuits. 

In fall 2016, 20 teams traveled to 15 countries including Myanmar, India, Colombia, and Tanzania to work with clients across industries on high-impact projects. Five pre-selected project teams showcased their work and competed for first place in front of a panel of Columbia Business School alumni from consulting firms.
Organized by the SEC’s Pangea Advisors, and the center.

Greg Fairchild, ‘04BUS, professor of the University of Virginia Darden Business School and founder of Resilience Education, facilitated a three-hour prison and case teaching session. This session was designed to prepare students to teach in the REAP prison training program with a focus on case teaching methods and fostering classroom discussion. Particular focus was on insights and tips for teaching incarcerated students within a prison facility and the culture and political dynamics that may come into play in the classroom. This session drew insights from Professor Greg Fairchild's experience at University of Virginia where students have been teaching in prisons for the past six years. 

Students interested in exploring the field of social enterprise during their time at the School had the opportunity to meet students and faculty whose passion for international development, social entrepreneurship, CSR, renewable energy, and nonprofit consulting and nonprofit management has driven Columbia to be one of the top business schools for social enterprise. Students learned about the center as well as the different clubs and opportunities to be involved.
Organized by the GBC, SEC, and center.

This Spark Workshop was led by Donna Sanders’17BUS, co-founder of Social Solar; Gary Skulnik, founding partner of OurPower; Annie Su, senior analyst of Ecogy Solar; and Yanik Kalish, ’12BUS, CEO of SolarKal. Traditionally, many people are unable to participate in solar energy because they rent their home, live in an apartment building, or own properties unsuitable for installing solar panels. With the New York State Shared Renewables Program, customers can, for the first time, join together to share in the benefits of local solar, wind, and other renewable energy projects. Participants from the Columbia University and broader NYC community came together to discuss the financial and structural barriers prohibiting widespread community solar adoption in NYC, and viable community solar solutions.
Supported by the Lang Center, SEC, GBC, and the center at Columbia Business School; and the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE) at Columbia University.

Participants in the Pangea program presented their projects to the peers and the center, sharing best practices, insights learned, and project stories.
Organized by the SEC’s Pangea Advisors.

Attendees viewed the first in a series of short documentary screenings examining the career paths and hiring of FIPs, directed by Jack Dodson, ’16JRN. After the screening, there was an open discussion on the role that this type of content could play in the reentry field as well as potential topics for future exploration.

Former students, social entrepreneurs, friends, and colleagues gathered together to share remarks, memories, and stories on how Dr. Pamela Hartigan impacted their lives and careers. Professor Ray Horton shared remarks on her impact at the School.
Organized by Pamela Hartigan’s colleagues and peers, and sponsored by the center.

Club members interested in careers in sustainability and clean tech embarked on the annual West Coast Trek for company visits and networking opportunities in the Bay Area of California.
Organized by the CMC, GBC, Technology Business Group, Media Management Association, and Venture Capital Club.

Panelists Clare Murray, ’17BUS, vice president of BlackRock's Institutional Client Business; John McQuade, ’17BUS, client advisor at Bessemer Trust; Byron Austin, ’17BUS, BSR Healthcare; and Zachary Solomon, ’17BUS, vice president of Morgan Stanley’s public finance group and Morgan Stanley’s US Municipal Sustainable Finance, discussed navigating a career path for impact investing and CSR, as well as the current roles and responsibilities within the sector. The panel was moderated by Fahad Ahmed, ’17BUS, manager at Deloitte.
Organized by the SEC.

Agora Partnerships strives to accelerate the shift to a more sustainable, equitable, and abundant world that supports entrepreneurs intentionally working to create social impact. Founder Ben Powell, ’05BUS, discussed ways to engage in the new initiative Columbians for Agora.
Organized by the SEC.

Morgan Stanley believes capital has the power to create positive change in the world. Second-year and dual-degree students learned how to use their talent and ambition to work and be part of a team that creates positive change.
Organized by the CMC and Morgan Stanley.

Over 300+ individuals from all over NYC’s social impact space celebrated, reconnected, and met some of the city’s most inspiring people in the sector.
Organized by Be Social Good and the Center for Social Innovation and sponsored by the center.

Acumen raises charitable donations to invest in companies, leaders, and ideas that are changing the way the world tackles poverty. Sean Moore, portfolio associate director, and Justus Kilian, post-investment manager, discussed best practices in due diligence and spoke about post-investment management and support from Acumen. Students interested in impact investing attended this event to better understand how to evaluate an investment opportunity in the US and emerging markets.
Organized by the SEC’s Microlumbia leadership team.

An informal panel of second-year students provided recommendations for social enterprise classes to take in spring 2017 and answer questions from first-year students on social enterprise elective courses.
Organized by the SEC.

New York is a powerful platform designed to transform global healthcare by diffusing digital health solutions. Decision makers in health and tech—determined to improve health care access, delivery, and outcomes—gathered for carefully curated talks, collaboration opportunities, and the HITLAB World Cup, accelerating the spread of transformational technologies. Google’s senior account executive of Healthcare, David Silk, and Pfizer’s head of clinical innovations, Craig Lipset, were among many businesses involved in the 2016 HITLAB Summit.
Organized by HITLAB and supported by the center.

Second-year students who secured social impact internships in impact investing, nonprofit management, education, and social enterprise shared their strategies for finding opportunities and best practices career searches with fellow club members over lunch.
Organized by the SEC.

Students traveled to Golden, CO to take a private visit and tour of the NREL. The Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) is central to the future of NREL and the nation. It will resolve issues associated with transforming the electrical grid and adding new renewable energy generation systems, reducing the risks of new technology adoption.
Organized by the GBC.

The center convened students, faculty, and reentry organizations to brainstorm ideas on how to best execute and narrate the second initiative and ways in which REAP can help educate businesses on why investing in hiring FIPs has a positive impact within their organization and society. 

Now in its fourth year, Inspiring Capital’s Fellowship Program is a highly selective, 10-week internship that gives participants meaningful, hands-on consulting experience with social impact organizations. Students attended the info session to learn more about summer internship opportunities with Inspiring Capital. The organization also presented the National Parks Business Plan Internship, which provides hands-on experience in finance, operations, and strategy to the US National Parks and presented strategic recommendations to park leadership at the end of the internship.
Organized by the CMC and SEC.

The event featured an overview of the impact investing sector by Professor Bruce Usher, as well as a panel of second year students who have successfully pursued various impact investing internships. The evening was particularly informative for first-year students considering impact investing as a career path.
Organized by the CMC and SEC

In an effort to start forming teams within work streams for REAP, faculty, students, and staff at Columbia gathered with FIPs to meet and gather insights on how to tailor the REAP program to most effectively impact FIPs. 

Daniel Hare, SolarCorps Volunteerism Fellow from Grid Alternatives, talked about the social impact solar company and the opportunities they offer to those interested in the space. The GBC coordinated a project for members to volunteer for a day in spring 2017 to install solar systems for low-income homes.
Organized by the GBC.

In response to the chronic outbreaks of law enforcement-related violence in the US, Brooklyn-based startup Rise facilitated a community-wide Spark workshop for Columbia students and the broader entrepreneurial community in NYC to explore innovative products, services, and campaigns to encourage and incentivize both everyday citizens and law enforcement to help end the cycles of violence in their respective communities. Alphonzo Terrell, ’05CC, co-founder of Rise; and special guest speaker Robert Gangi, ’05CC, director of the Police Reform Organizing Project, led the workshop. Several of the top concepts were selected to be realized as an activity within the Rise application to be distributed to the more than 10,000 beta users.
Supported by the Lang Center for Entrepreneurship, SEC, and center at Columbia Business School; the Social Entrepreneurship Club at the SIPA; the Social Enterprise Administration Caucus at Columbia School of Social Work; and the Center for Justice at Columbia University.

Columbia Impact brought together students from across different schools, both undergraduate and graduate, including business, engineering, policy, medical, and public health to collaborate with the local NYC tech community to address local issues that we face in healthcare, transportation, tech, and the environment. Columbia Impact allowed students to work with tools on the cutting edge of technology to address problems presented by local companies, government departments, hospitals, and their own interests and passions.
Organized by Columbia Impact and the SEC as a partner.

Students traveled to Brooklyn’s Urban Future Lab (UFL), which is New York City’s hub for smart cities, smart grid, and clean energy. Their space hosts several programs focused on educational, policy, and market solutions to the issues of sustainability. This includes ACRE (a business incubation program), PowerBridgeNY (a proof-of-concept center), and Clean Start (an educational program). Students spent the day learning about the programs of the UFL and how members can get involved in internships and entrepreneurial support.
Organized by the GBC and NYU’s Stern Graduate School of Business.

Students interested in environmental issues had the chance to network and build connections with like-minded students from Columbia Business School, Columbia Law School (CLS), and SIPA. Attendees also shared information on new programs offered at each school, information on cross-registering for courses covering environmental topics, and cross-club event programing opportunities.
Organized by the GBC, Environmental Law Society at CLS, and Environmental Coalition at SIPA.

Members gathered at Carmine’s Restaurant for a club community building dinner.
Organized by the SEC.

Seven social innovators were selected through Professor Bruce Usher’s Investing in Social Ventures due diligence course to pitch their social venture to the investment board members for consideration for the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures. The board selected to fund three Columbia-affiliated social ventures: Trek Medics, Kinnos, and DeansList. For more information about the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio, please see Appendix Six. 

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What does a sustainable nonprofit enterprise look like? How do business choices and practices drive overall health? Rebecca Thomas, ’04BUS, managing director of Rebecca Thomas and Associates LLC, discussed what it means to bring a financial lens to nonprofit advisory work and shared stories about guiding organizations to stability and resiliency. She shared why she embarked on a career in nonprofit consulting and what she has learned from working in both institutional and entrepreneurial settings. 

Students and staff from the center gathered at Russet with alumni in the Philadelphia area for a networking dinner. Current business school students interested in social enterprise were in town for the annual Net Impact Conference.

Students traveled to Philadelphia, PA to participate in the 2016 Net Impact Conference, “Shape Your Future and the World.” Keynote speakers included: Alicia Garza of #BackLivesMatter, Doug McMillon of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Kiah Williams of SIRUM, and other social innovators. Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO of Nonprofit Finance Fund, spoke on a panel, and Manal Kahi, ’15SIPA, co-founder and CEO of EatOffbeat—a Tamer Fund for Social Ventures recipient—won the 2016 Net Impact Pitch Competition.
Organized by the Net Impact Organization, and supported by the center.

Kim Gittleson, ’17BUS, moderated a discussion with Professor Horton and Dean Hubbard on populism and its impact on the global political economy. The fireside chat defined populism, explored the political divide, and the 2016 election.
Organized by Columbia Community Conversations within the Dean’s Office and Student Government.

The Opening Reception served as a successful kickoff for the 2016-17 Nonprofit Board Leadership Program. Bringing together over 70 students, mentors, and nonprofit leaders participating in the program this year, Mimi Boublik, ’80BUS, and Michael Boublik, ’80BUS, had a packed house of nonprofit board leaders and future board members to network and build a community together.
Organized by the SEC’s NBLP leadership team and the center.

Professor Bruce Usher moderated a panel discussion with Dr. Reresa Chahine, social entrepreneurship program leader at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health; and Manal Kahi, ’15SIPA, co-founder and CEO of EatOffbeat, a Tamer Fund for Social Ventures recipient, about the multiple ways social entrepreneurship and impact investing can contribute to solving the refugee crisis.
Organized by Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Club, in collaboration with the SEC and Students Organize for Syria.

Recipients of the center’s SESF program gathered together to share their experiences working in the social enterprise sector, their summer projects, and stories about the people they met on their journey. This lunch served as an opportunity to build a network of summer fellows across campus.

GBC’s panel discussion brought together second-years who shared their recruiting and internship experiences in the green and sustainable space. First-years had the opportunity to learn from fellow club members’ paths for getting sustainably-focused internships at big companies and small startups, such as Citi, Off-the-grid GS, Happy Family and more! Panelists included Christian Lopez, ’17BUS, Citi; Jamie Hutson, ’17BUS, GE Energy Financial Services; Ronald Bucca, ’17BUS, Off Grid Electric; Will Campbell, ’17BUS, Los Alamos Laboratories; Andrew Soare, ’17BUS, Citi; Liz Russell, ’17BUS, Happy Family Brands; Edie Constable, ’17BUS, Ulupono Initiative; and Dev Banerjee, ’15BUS, EDF.
Organized by the GBC.

Investors, risk assessment professionals, and executives were brought together to examine the risks and opportunities that come with investing in natural capital in a shifting regulatory, social, and environmental context.
Organized by the Energy and Environment Department at the SIPA, the Global Association of Risk Professionals, and Chain Reaction Research Sustainability risk analysis, and sponsored by the center. 

With offices and investments across the United States, Advantage Capital uses a range of innovative structures—including debt, equity, government-guaranteed lending, agribusiness partners, and tax credits—to help businesses overlooked by traditional investment or financing options. Josh Rogers, associate at Advantage Capital’s New York office, provided an overview of Advantage’s approach to impact investing, including a couple of tangible case studies.
Organized by the Venture Capital Club and SEC. 

Attendees listened to Professor Georgia Levenson Keohane’s insights on how market failure in one context can be solved with market solutions from another: an expert in securitization bundles future development aid into bonds to pay for vaccines today; an entrepreneur turns a mobile phone into an array of financial services for the unbanked; and policy makers adapt pay-for-success models from the world of infrastructure to human services like early childhood education, maternal health, and job training. Revisiting the successes and missteps of these efforts, Keohane argues that innovative finance is as much about incentives and sound decision-making as it is about money. When it works, innovative finance gives us the tools, motivation, and security to invest in our shared future.

Professor Damon Phillips; Greg Fairchild, '02BUS / PhD; and Tierney Temple Fairchild held an info session on REAP for alumni of Resilience Education, faculty, and MBA and EMBA students interested in helping to alleviate the reentry crisis. Attendees were interested in helping shape REAP and develop a new program that will provide practical tools for both businesses and FIPs. 

Keith Timko, ’02BUS, executive director of the Support Center at Partnership in Philanthropy, discussed the key trends impacting the work of social enterprises and how business school students and others who bring business skills to solving social problems can be a part of the next wave of solutions that we need to make our communities healthier, stronger, and more inclusive. Some of these key trends include the need for increased impact investment dollars as well as greater skilled volunteers to help social enterprises do more.

This symposium brought together Columbia University faculty engaged in refugee issues, practitioners from the Middle East / North Africa region, and other scholars, to address gaps in the linkages between humanitarian response and development in light of a rapidly changing global context, as well as the need for new paradigms of refugee assistance and inclusion. Professor Bruce Usher's independent study students working on the Displaced Persons Initiative were featured on the agenda.
Organized by Columbia Global Centers in Amman and Istanbul, and supported by the center

Drawing from his decades’ long experience in stewardship and sustainable investment, Colin Melvin explored questions such as: Who actually controls public companies, and in whose interest are they run? What emerging obligations and opportunities exist for pension plans, endowments and other institutional investors to shift in focus from short term transactions to longer term relationships? Why should investors engage with multinational corporations to promote international standards on human rights, environmental management, and other issues? Can the interests of the corporation and its shareholders and other stakeholders converge and what practical measures exist for convergence?
Organized with the Columbia Law School, SIPA, and the center.

Student mentees participating in NBLP gathered at orientation day to learn of their nonprofit board project for the academic year. At the event, attendees discussed initiatives and best practices.
Organized by the SEC‘s NBLP Leadership team and the center.

Professor Geoffrey Heal discussed his recent working paper, What Would it Take to Reduce US Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80% by 2050?, sharing insights on his research methods, findings, and impact related to how we can reduce US GHG levels to below 2050. During the fireside chat, Heal also touched on the cost of reducing US GHG levels and how realistic it will be to reduce the US GHG emissions over the next three-and-a-half decades to match the goal the Obama administration submitted to the UN.
Organized by the GBC.

Joblessness is the root cause of the global unrest threatening American security. Fostering entrepreneurship is the remedy. Peace through Entrepreneurship offers a nonmilitary, long-term solution at a time of disillusionment with Washington’s “big development” approach to unstable and underdeveloped parts of the world—and when the new normal is fear of terrorist attacks against Western targets, beheadings in Syria, and jihad. Extremism will not be resolved by a war on terror. The answer, Steven R. Koltai shows, is stimulating economic opportunities for the virtually limitless supply of desperate, unemployed young men and women leading lives of endless economic frustration. Those opportunities will come through entrepreneurship.

Social enterprise is about the community—there is a wealth of knowledge, skills, and experiences in every dimension of social impact within the student body. Club members learned about the Peer-to-Peer Group Initiative of the SEC, how to sign-up for their P2P, the interest area groups that currently exist, and ways to get involved, or start a new, P2P group.
Organized by the SEC.

EDF Climate Corps is the premier graduate fellowship program to jump-start your career in energy management or sustainability. They match leading organizations with talented graduate students to advance the way that organizations manage energy. Fellows engage in a broad array of projects, such as equipment upgrades and building retrofits, clean energy generation and procurement, energy data analysis, and sustainability strategy.
Organized by the SIPA and SEC.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Bain and Company came to campus to discuss their post-Bain entrepreneurial pursuits. The info session also covered the summer associate opportunities for MBA students interested in working at Bain.
Organized by Bain and Company and the CMC, and supported by the Management Consulting Association and SEC.

As part of the Columbia Business School Diversity Recruiting initiative, Deloitte organized an informal gathering to enable first-year, full-time students who are interested in the management consulting field to meet Deloitte practitioners from across the firm’s consulting practice and learn about life as a Deloitte consultant. Practitioners in attendance represented a broad range of industries within which they work and spoke to the various service offerings they make available to clients.
Organized by Deloitte and supported by the CMC and SEC.

Over 300 professionals and students gathered at Columbia University’s Lerner Hall to learn, network, and engage with like-minded professionals in the social innovation sector. The conference, entitled “Cities Transformed: Empowering Individuals, Communities, and Businesses,” explored the idea of how urbanization is shaping the human experience in powerful ways, with more than 3.5 billion people—half the world’s population—living in rapidly-growing cities, including 80% of United States residents. Andrew Salkin and John Paul Farmer, ’04BUS, started off the conference, inspiring students to take a look at urban inclusiveness during their fireside chat, which covered the topic of building dynamic networks. Throughout our panels and quick talks, social innovators—such as Michal Alter, ’13SIPA, of Visit.org, which addresses cultural experiences in the travel industry; Christopher Grewe of American Prison Data Systems, which provides technology to prisons; and Jordyn Lexton of Drive Change, which provides career opportunities to formerly incarcerated persons (FIPs)—shared insights on how their organizations are providing opportunities for individuals, addressing the needs of marginalized communities, and looking to a future in which businesses can help address social and environmental needs. Closing keynote Secretary Anthony Foxx brought the day together by sharing insights on his groundbreaking work transforming transportation to better meet the demands of commuters and its impact on communities, while addressing the needs of environmental impact with ride-sharing and driverless cars.
Sponsored by the center, SEC, and GBC.

Club members were paired by interest areas to better network with and meet their peers while attending dinners hosted at the homes of members living near campus.
Organized by the SEC.

Students were given a tour of Columbia University's efficient powerhouse chiller plant. In order to meet growing cooling demands, the University has committed to undertake a major expansion of its original powerhouse—the central cooling plant on the Morningside Heights campus.
Organized by the GBC and Real Estate Association.

After a short documentary screening of Another Kind of Girl, Professor Bruce Usher moderated a discussion on the communities impacted by the current refugee crisis and the creative responses being done to deliver the right to education to refugees.
Organized by Columbia University’s AC4, Peace Education Network, School of Professional Studies, NECR, SDA, MD-ICCCR, and the center.

Students joined Chris Cozzone, vice president of Bain Capital’s Double Impact Investing, who shared insights on and introduced Bain’s strategic focus on double impact investing, and their team’s strategic focus in the market.
Organized by the Private Equity Club and SEC.

Professor Bruce Usher explored the topic of impact investing and how it is similar but different from philanthropy. The discussion covered ways in which investors and philanthropists can use their investments to make positive impact. The panelists, Preeti Bhattacharji, ’14BUS, of the Heron Foundation; Curt LaBelle, ’99BUS, of Global Health Investment Fund; Bonny Moellenbrock of Investors’ Circle; and Julius Mokrauer of Serious Change LP and the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures, shared their perspectives on how to find social and environmental innovations, including new approaches to for-profit institutions’ solicitation and use of grants, mission and program-related investments, and high-growth, high-impact angel investments.
Organized by the Office of External Relations and Development, in collaboration with the center, and the Investors’ Circle of New York.

Students gathered to learn more about what it means to serve on a nonprofit board, how to use their skills to benefit a board, and how to apply for the program.
Organized by the SEC's NBLP Leadership team and the center.

Katie Leonberger, ’08BUS, president and CEO at Community Resource Exchange, discussed cross sector transitions and the value of tri-sector leaders, managing for social impact and financial sustainability, risk management for nonprofit organizations, board governance, and what is needed for successful teams in the social sector.

The world is at a critical turning point in its journey to address climate change. The extent to which we embrace the immense opportunities of a net zero emissions future will depend greatly on the actions of the United States in the coming five to 10 years. Its capacity for innovation in technology, finance, and business is unrivaled. It has shaped every industrial revolution of the last 100 years, and can do so again as we enter the next. The choices the Trump administration makes on climate and energy are vital. They will help decide our collective future, determining whether the world can achieve net zero emissions by or shortly after 2050. The new president and congress have the opportunity to create a cleaner, healthier, more prosperous America, and much is at stake for leading businesses, states, and regions that have already taken action to realize this future.
Columbia University hosted the ‘Ensuring Urban Resilience, Come Hell or High Water’ and the ‘4th International Conference on Sustainable Development’ events. 

First- and second-year students, faculty, alumni, and center staff joined together to start the academic year with this annual event—a day filled with BBQ, snacks, drinks, games, and general merriment. This year we visited Hilltop Hanover Farm, which is dedicated to the development and advancement of sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, community education, and accessible food systems for all. Upon arrival, attendees received a brief history of the farm and their farming practices. Daytime breakout activities included participating in a class on herbs for health, a guided tour with one of Hilltop’s farmers showcasing their sustainable farming practices, and a yoga class!

Columbia University faculty members working with prison facilities in the New York area, as well as faculty working on post-incarceration reentry programs, shared their experiences and insights in this field over lunch.

Camilla Nestor, ’02BUS / ’96SIPA, chief business development officer of Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners, discussed how digital solutions are transforming access to finance for customers in developing markets, the remaining barriers and challenges and the opportunities for investment. She also covered the latest trends and innovations such as big data for small credit, and how these are transforming the experience for the end user as well as the investment landscape.

First-year students met with the current professional club members on an informal basis at Bernheim and Schwartz to learn more about the social enterprise community at the School.
Organized by the GBC and SEC.

With a packed room, the center and professional clubs provided information on the social enterprise community at the School. Students interested in exploring the field of social enterprise during their time at the School had the opportunity to meet students and faculty whose passion for international development, social entrepreneurship, CSR, renewable energy, and nonprofit consulting and nonprofit management has elevated the School to be one of the top business schools for social enterprise. Students learned about the different clubs’ initiatives on campus and opportunities to be involved in the social enterprise community.
Organized by the Green Business Club (GBC), Social Enterprise Club (SEC), and the center.

The Career Management Center (CMC), distinguished faculty, programs and centers, and School administrators joined together for the inaugural Industry Forum and networking reception, providing the opportunity to meet the members of the class of 2018 and reconnect with alumni. As Columbia Business School students express interest in pursuing increasingly diverse career paths—including tech, media, healthcare, retail, social enterprise, entrepreneurship, and more—we aim to provide them with an opportunity to learn about the industries and gain valuable advice on how to best position themselves to achieve their goals.
Organized by the CMC.

The Center on Global Energy Policy hosted a panel discussion on the future of climate finance both domestically and internationally. Following remarks from our expert panelists, CGEP Inaugural Fellow David Sandalow moderated the discussion. Panelists included: Billy Pizer, professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University; Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, and Andrew Sabin, professor of professional practice at Columbia Law School; and Bruce Usher, co-director of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise.
Organized by the Center on Global Energy Policy at SIPA.

The Penn-Columbia Social Impact House was a week-long intensive boot camp at a 600-acre estate in Vermont where 22 social entrepreneurs gathered to gain the tools and motivation to grow or scale their venture, learned how to measure impact, got coached on where they were "stuck," and gained design thinking tools, and more.
Organized by the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).

Current Summer Fellows, Fellows’ employers, alumni, and center staff gathered together in celebration of the Social Enterprise Summer Fellows at 5th & Mad Bar & Restaurant. They enjoyed networking and sharing current project experiences.

While on their visit to American embassies from Belarus, leaders in government, politics, economics, media, education, science, and the arts met with Professor Bruce Usher to learn about the center’s work in training the next generation of business leaders to address social and environmental challenges.