This article originally appeared in the Daily Bulletin, University of Waterloo
- November 7, 2007
Above: WCSE leadership team and volunteers
Next week, ’social entrepreneurship’
“An inspirational new initiative will soon bring passion for social change together with business-minded discipline,” says Suzanne Gardner, a UW arts graduate who’s helping to organize the Waterloo Conference on Social Entrepreneurship to be hosted by UW and Wilfrid Laurier University next week.
“The conference,” she writes, “brings together students, alumni, community members, academics, and current leaders in the world of social entrepreneurship.” It’s scheduled for November 16-18, and participation is free for students.
Says Gardner: “This event is truly one for all members of the UW community to take note of. Not only is its content matter a unique and crucial topic in today’s entrepreneurial world, but the creation of the conference itself is also unique as the leadership team consists of recent UW and WLU grads as well as current undergrad students at both schools.”
She calls the event “an example of the young entrepreneurial spirit that this city has fostered”, and adds, “This conference is truly one that all members of the UW community would learn a lot from, regardless of their age or field of study.” Conference chair is another recent UW graduate, Andrew Dilts.
The inaugural Waterloo Conference on Social Entrepreneurship will bring together community members, academics and both current and future leaders for three days. A news release notes that conference content “will focus on the advancement of social entrepreneurship both internationally and here at home, featuring the three key themes of community leadership, international development, and sustainable environmental change.
“The conference aims to match individuals and organizations passionate about social change with the business-focused resources and knowledge that they need to grow and succeed. Towards this end, the initiative will bring together industry representatives, educational partners, and more than 100 delegates to learn, network, and be exposed to opportunities in their field.”
It says keynote speakers have been confirmed from Ashoka, an organization renowned for its global leader in social entrepreneurship, as well as from the University of Alberta-based Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. “The conference is partnering with a number of different organizations, including Engineers Without Borders Canada, and both the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.
“The weekend conference will expose delegates to many different aspects of social entrepreneurship through keynotes, lectures, panel discussions, and workshops. One conference highlight is the exhibition component, where delegates will have a chance to network and interact with representatives from a wide variety of organizations already active in social change.” While students attend free, “community delegates are invited to attend for a small fee” of $95.
