Social Entrepreneurship Conference:
Social Innovation in Indiana
The Indiana University Social Entrepreneurship program will sponsor a regular Social Entrepreneurship Conference, highlighting the state of Social Entrepreneurship scholarship, teaching and practice throughout the world and its application to Indiana. The conference will bring together business, government and nonprofit leaders from throughout Indiana as well as leading educators and students to better understand how Social Entrepreneurship approaches are profitable for business, are good for community development, and are a key to a socially beneficial and prosperous future for the state of Indiana.
Keynote speakers will share national perspectives on the growing area of social entrepreneurship – how it’s working, why it’s beneficial, and how it can be strengthened here in Indiana. Panelists include leaders from Indiana businesses, nonprofits and government who will share how social entrepreneurship is important for their vision of the future of Indiana.
The conference will open with a dinner and keynote presentation. This will be followed by a full day of presentations, panels and workshops on how social entrepreneurship benefits each sector of our community. Topics include businesses and the practices of corporate social responsibility, how government can promote profitable and socially beneficial programs, and insights for nonprofit organizations seeking to improve their business practices while furthering their public service mission. The concluding afternoon presentation will share the importance of social entrepreneurial approaches to Indiana.
The conference is sponsored by the new Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship: Nonprofit and Public Benefit Organizations program at Indiana University. The Social Entrepreneurship program combines the resources of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), the Kelley School of Business, and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and is offered to graduate students on both the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses.
The Social Entrepreneurship certificate prepares students for innovatively approaching public needs by combining entrepreneurial practices and social purposes – through the for-profit, nonprofit, and governmental sectors. In addition to course work, the Social Entrepreneurship program includes an ongoing speaker series, a summer internship program, research and publishing activities, and a year-round clinic that will connect the resources of Indiana University with the needs and programs of Indiana organizations, businesses and communities.