The Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit is offering an opportunity for Case Western students to identify social or environmental issues and form teams to craft innovative solutions to their chosen problem or issue.
The mission of the ThinkImpact Academy of Social Enterprises (ThinkImpact) is to develop and promote businesses that create positive impact for communities, societies and the environment around the world. Participation in the ThinkImpact program gives students the opportunity to attend virtual and in person workshops together with other Case Western students and with students from around the globe for international exposure and the cultural exchange of ideas. During the program students will learn about how entrepreneurship can be used to solve social and environmental problems and build their own project.
ThinkImpact uses many methodologies to help students understand entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, and the global market. Appreciative Inquiry, founded at CWRU, helps individuals and organizations discover the power of positive ideation through thoughtful, affirmative questions and design-thinking. The Value Proposition Matrix, developed by Brandon Cornuke, is a practical 4-quadrant approach to understanding a business's customers, the problem they’re solving, the unique solution to that problem, and the unique strength of the team. Through weeks of self-reflection, group discussion, and listening to experts in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, students begin to build their own sustainable business concept and nurture it throughout the program.
As a global initiative to teach students about the power of social entrepreneurship, multiple universities around the world offer the program each year and participants have the opportunity to connect with global students during many of the sessions. There may be the possibility for international travel associated with the program as well (but this is not guaranteed).
The ThinkImpact program runs from September through April. Students will attend virtual bi-weekly sessions with our international participants as well as weekly coaching sessions with their CWRU cohort. Participants will be expected to present their solution and work in April.
Please email fowlercenter@case.edu with any questions.