Marquette’s Catholic, Jesuit identity calls members of the campus community to Be the Difference, preparing men and women for others. These fundamental characteristics and traits align nicely with social innovation and social entrepreneurship; attacking root causes of social problems with sustainable models that increase human capability.

The Social Innovation Initiative is an ongoing exploration of a fit for social innovation at Marquette, including bundled offerings of speakers, residencies, learning activities, celebrations and community engagements. All campus members are welcome to opt in at any time, and resources are available for those seeking to embrace social innovation through the university experience. Goals for the initiative include equipping champions on- and off-campus, building curricular and co-curricular practices, and serving as a regional convener of like-minded agents of positive social change.

Marquette University is especially pleased to be recognized as a “changemaker campus,” a distinction enjoyed by few university campuses nationally through a selective partnership with Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, the largest global organization for social entrepreneurs. Marquette was selected with Duke University and Arizona State University in August 2010, joining George Mason University, University of Maryland and Tulane University, among others.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS IN RESIDENCE

Greg Van Kirk
Ashoka Fellow and co-founder of The New Development Solutions Group, he leads in promoting the MicroConsignment model—a sustainable and scalable model which seeks to cultivate local entrepreneurship in developing countries and provide both economic and public-health benefits to the community. Social entrepreneur-in-residence Nov. 1 - Nov. 5, 2011

 

Raj Vinnakota
Co-founder and managing director of the SEED Foundation Inc., a celebrated model of social innovation impacting the area of urban education. Social entrepreneur-in-residence from Nov. 7 - Nov. 13, 2010

Jane Leu
Founder and CEO of Upwardly Global (2000-2009), a nationally recognized model of social innovation in the area of immigration.
Social entrepreneur-in-residence from Oct. 27 - Nov. 7, 2009