DURHAM, N.C. August 28, 2004 - On the Saturday before the official start of classes, nearly 80 MBA and MPP students gathered in Geneen to hear from one of Durham’s finest business and community leaders before heading out into the community to learn firsthand about issues and opportunities to get involved.

CASE Managing Director Beth Anderson set the stage for the day, highlighting the intersection of three themes: leadership, community, and business. She noted that the Day in Durham event hoped to build on the ILE experience and extend the conversation to focus on community leadership and the role of business, business leaders, and business skills in addressing community issues. “In the past few years, I’ve seen Fuqua students exercise plenty of leadership in the Fuqua community. But typically there has been little interaction with the community beyond, whether at Duke or in Durham. The first step in becoming a community leader is getting to know the community – the people, the organizations and the issues.” In an afternoon, the Day in Durham organizers hoped to whet the students’ appetites for getting involved in the Durham community during their two years at Fuqua, for seeing the relevance of their MBA training and skills when tackling social problems, and for embarking upon careers in business with an understanding of and commitment to business community leadership.

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What did you think of Day in Durham?

Avani Khanna, '06

I had a fantastic time at TROSA – it was inspiring to see up close such a thriving and successful nonprofit. Like Fuqua students, the residents play a huge role in running the place, including mentoring and training each other. It was moving to hear
residents talk about how TROSA helped them improve their job and life skills,
get their education and get on their feet when they had no other opportunities. It was thrilling to see a social program making such a
difference in people’s lives – it made me want to run out and start one of my
own!

Romy Parzick, '06

I greatly appreciated the opportunity to participate in the "Day in Durham" event. It was fascinating to learn first-hand the contributions our nonprofit hosts make to the local community, their daily and strategic business challenges, and the potentially powerful impact an MBA can have in the nonprofit sector. Since I hope to eventually lead a nonprofit, and I chose Fuqua specifically for its promotion of the "social entrepreneurship" model of sustainability, I enjoyed the "live" introduction to how Fuqua students can get involved with
some of Durham's not-for-profit organizations.

Allison Fansler, '06

Day in Durham introduced me to the community in a way I never could have done on my own. My group toured Walltown, a historically black neighborhood that has struggled with gangs and poverty, and saw the positive impact that Duke can have in helping a neighborhood rebuild. We met local community leaders – from a minister to the manager of the local mall – and learned how we could bring our skills to bear to make significant contributions to the community during our time at Fuqua.

Suneet Bhatt, '06

Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA) was an "Ah - ha" moment for me--but not just for Fuqua, for life. It runs counter to what we see and experience every day, taking us from a world
of the have and have nots to a world of share and share alike. TROSA is one of the best lessons in civic responsibility I have seen in practice, people looking out for other people and inspired to do so because somebody else looked out for them. Rousseau would be proud (though more so if TROSA had a home in Bordeaux).

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

A special thank you to all the participating organizations in the first annual Day in Durham event! We were inspired by the work these organizations are carrying out in our community, and based on this event we have received numerous requests from students to get involved. Opportunities exist at SeeSaw Studios, Student Entrepreneurs Program (STEP), Duke-Durham Partnership, TROSA and the Duke Law Community Enterprise Clinic.

Download the full listing of opportunities and contact information.

Visit our web site to learn more about the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship.

Welcome

Welcome to CASE's electronic bi-monthly newsletter, ConnectCASE. The purpose of ConnectCASE is to provide timely information to students, faculty, staff, and social sector leaders on events, news and resources related to social entrepreneurship; generate enthusiasm for and interest in the social sector; and share individual and organizational stories and real-life examples of social entrepreneurship at work. Future editions of the newsletter will include articles on social entrepreneurship research, MBAs and social entrepreneurs making a difference and much more. By way of a brief introduction to those who might be new to Fuqua:

CASE invites you to become a part of our initiatives! By Joining CASE you can receive the bi-monthly electronic newsletter ConnectCASE and opt to receive information about events and/or career resources. Join CASE now! PLEASE NOTE-In order to keep receiving this newsletter, you will have to indicate your interest by Joining CASE.

CASE (the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship), is a research and education center, established at the Fuqua School of Business in 2002. Since that time, CASE has been dedicated to promoting and supporting the field of social entrepreneurship through a mutual learning process that engages MBA students, business school faculty, and social sector leaders. Read more about CASE programs, events, publications and more on our website.

CASE works closely with Fuqua's Social Impact Club, a Net Impact chapter. The mission of this student-led organization is to provide resources and support to students committed to effecting positive social change. They offer a comprehensive portfolio of programs to help members broaden their business education, refine their leadership skills, pursue their professional goals, and build their business network while remaining committed to creating change. They accomplish their mission through four outlets: Social Entrepreneurship, Social Impact Management, Community Involvement, and Business and the Environment.

Contact Erin Langley or any member of the SIC team to learn more about how to get involved.