Day in Durham 2007

DID Fuqua’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) and the Social Impact Club (SIC), along with the Duke Durham Neighborhood Partnership, hosted the fourth annual Day in Durham on August 25, 2007 with over 100 daytime MBA students, partners and staff in attendance.

The event kicked off in Geneen Auditorium with a keynote address from John Replogle, CEO and President of Burt’s Bees, the Durham-based manufacturer of earth-friendly cosmetics, personal care products, natural remedies, and gifts. Burt’s Bees is widely recognized for its commitment to sustainable business practices. Ingredients and packaging choices reflect the company’s careful consideration of the impact its activities will have on the environment and the overall health and well-being of all living things on Earth.

Replogle challenged entering Duke business students to use their skills to achieve positive economic and social impact, environmental sustainability, and social entrepreneurship – concepts once unheard of in business schools across America. Listen to John Replogle's keynote speech.

"John gave a great speech and was very engaging. He offered a nice mix of insights, facts and advice for MBA students. It was the perfect start of Day in Durham. He really explained why sustainability is so important and how it turns into profits in the business world. I think if students who thought social impact was not really an interest of theirs heard him - they would have been hooked." MBA Student, Fuqua Class of 2009

Duke’s Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations, John Burness, welcomed the students to Durham and applauded Fuqua’s community involvement efforts, including Fuqua on Board, Junior Achievement, the STEP entrepreneurship mentoring program, and the campaign to raise funds for the Habitat for Humanity "House that Fuqua Built."

Following the opening session, students boarded buses and headed out into various Durham neighborhoods traveling on three separate itineraries. Each itinerary included presentations from business and community leaders to introduce students to the issues facing the organizations and communities. The three itineraries were:

Sustainable Revitalization in Downtown Durham- Students joined local civic and business leaders in a discussion on the opportunities for and challenges of economic development in the city. Leaders from Downtown Durham, Inc., Self-Help, the Durham Arts Council, the Durham City Office of Economic and Employment Development, and First Presbyterian Church provided their perspectives on this multifaceted issue.

Social Enterprise in Action: TROSA, Inc.- Students visited the campus of Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc. (TROSA), an entrepreneurial nonprofit that helps recovering drug and alcohol abusers to change their lives through involvement in an ever expanding portfolio of businesses.

Community Partnerships in Southwest Central Durham- Students visited The Community Family Life & Recreation Center at Lyon Park, a unique “social services mall” that responds to the needs of disadvantaged residents in the areas of health care, youth development, literacy, senior daycare, and performing and visual arts opportunities.

From one of the students who attended the Community Partnerships itinerary, "This was one of the most fabulous opportunities to learn about the community of which our school is a part. I was very impressed by the people and the facility."

CASE Associate Director Matt Nash noted, "Duke MBAs are known for their outrageous ambition to make a difference. Through Day in Durham, incoming students have a first-hand opportunity to learn about concrete ways to put their business skills into action to achieve social, environmental and economic impact, both during their time in Durham and throughout their careers. Ultimately, we hope to open students eyes to the many ways that they can become changemakers in their businesses, communities, and in the world at large."

The fourth annual Day in Durham was sponsored by Burt's Bees, GM, and Fox Student Center Catering.

Day in Durham Photos - 2007

Day in Durham Keynote: John Repologle, Burt's Bees CEO

Day in Durham Keynote

Downtown Durham Itinerary

Downtown Durham Itinerary: Durham Arts Council

Downtown Durham Itinerary