Ventureprise to host social impact workshop, competition

March 9, 2020
Categories: General News Tags: Academic Affairs

With social issues at the forefront on UNC Charlotte’s campus, Ventureprise will host an interactive social workshop and challenge on Tuesday, March 17, with finalists winning cash and other prizes for their ideas.

While working with students on campus, Ventureprise staff has discovered that many have identified issues that they would like to solve but do not understand how to take that next step.

“Solutions to social issues are powered by people with passion and motivation, and we want to empower students to find and pursue that passion,” said Ventureprise Assistant Director Laura Smailes.

March 17’s fast-paced workshop and challenge, ChangeMaker Kickoff: Making an Impact, will help UNC Charlotte students work on social solutions.

Smailes stated, “We are excited to have Charlotte social entrepreneur Lindsey Braciale, and Kim Buch, UNC Charlotte associate professor of psychology and one of the organizers of the Jamil Niner Pantry, to help mentor and work with the students. They both have launched successful programs and will be able to assist with the ideas, solutions and implementations.”

Breaking Ground is the first phase of ChangeMaker Kickoff: Making an Impact. This four-hour workshop gives any UNC Charlotte student the opportunity to present and work on their idea and how they would like to make an impact. During this workshop, students will be given a challenge in which teams work together and think innovatively on ways to solve a problem they have identified and present it to a panel at the end of the evening.

Challenge Advantage: Each student will be given a list of problems the week before the challenge to review and brainstorm possible ideas for their groups. Students will be able to submit a problem, too, in the application.

Second Phase: Finalists of Breaking Ground will be selected at the end of the workshop and challenge. They will receive two weeks of mentoring to work on their ideas.

Third Phase: Finalists will present their solutions at the Charlotte Venture Challenge on April 8, competing for cash and other prizes to launch their ideas.