Undergraduate
Achievement
Newsletter
APR ’13
LEADING INTO
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Richard Makiuchi is part of the 1%—the one
percent that were selected to attend Green
University, that is. Only fourteen applicants received
admittance out of over 2,600 high school and
college students who applied to Green University,
a three-day summit in California focused on
sustainability and environmental awareness.
Makiuchi, a Finance major at Fisher, was among
the fourteen who participated in the event.
Throughout the three days, the finalists at Green
University learned from businesses, eco-leaders,
and mentors to create platforms for social action.
Makiuchi reflects, “I am now able to look at
sustainability from a professional aspect. We
[the other finalists] learned how to run a meeting
with the focus on sustainability as well as coming
away with an understanding on how to use these
meetings to focus and create ideas into functioning
green projects.”
At the end of the summit, the 14 finalists presented
their sustainability ideas and goals to a panel of
judges. (Cont’d next page.)
TRAINING FOR A TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
Getting down
to business is
difficult, but even
more so when
considering a
triple bottom line.
The triple bottom
line is the notion
that companies
must measure
and be measured
on how well they
use economic,
natural and
human capital –
often abbreviated Professor Drobny engages with students in team building exercises
as a focus on
at the 2012 Industry Clusters Program Kick-Off.
People, Plant and
Profit. That is
why in the Fall 2010, Fisher’s Professor Neil Drobny began teaching the Energy
and Sustainability Cluster. As one of the first industry-focused programs offered
at Fisher, the E&S Cluster captures high achieving business students who have
a passion for learning about sustainability. Students learn about sustainability
and corporate responsibility and the skills necessary to make a difference in their
future.
Kelly Wheeler, an E&S Cluster student, currently pursues her interests by
working on a marketing project with The Dow Chemical Company. “I like my
business classes,” says Wheeler, “but energy and sustainability is new and
constantly changing. This goes beyond going ‘green.’ I feel I have obtained a
unique perspective [through the E&S Cluster] that the average Fisher student
may not have.”
I LIKE MY BUSINESS CLASSES, BUT ENERGY
AND SUSTAINABILITY IS NEW AND CONSTANTLY
CHANGING. THIS GOES BEYOND GOING ‘GREEN.’
“Students Becoming Eco-heroes” themed Makiuchi
(center) posing at the Green University Summit.
fisher.osu.edu/undergraduate
The E&S Cluster meets
twice a week for a full
academic year with the
expectation of at least ten
hours of work outside the classroom. The last 10 weeks of the 2nd semester,
students work exclusively on projects in teams of four and are encouraged to
devote at least 10 hours of outside classroom attention. However, as Drobny
explains, “Students are actually putting in twice the amount of work and
sometimes even more on their projects. I don’t even have to take attendance
because these students are so passionate, highly motivated, and very
accomplished.” (Cont’d next page.)
APR ’13
SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH
CREATIVITY, INNOVATION AND
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
What can a major in “Creativity,
Innovation and Consumer
Insights” possibly result in? For
Fisher student Zach Friedman
who created his own major
through the Fisher College of
Business, the result may be
a new approach for company
sustainability in the future.
Friedman has looked into
the dynamics of corporate
sustainability by co-creating a
Net Impact program at Ohio
State. Net Impact awards
points to members as they work
towards a program certification,
and serves as a way to
combine members of different
sustainability groups around
campus.
Through the Net Impact program
and Fisher’s Industry Cluster
Friedman currently works on a permaculture of Energy and Sustainability,
and organic agriculture farm in Israel.
Friedman learned about
alternatives to the current
industrial model. “Essentially the idea is that waste is itself a design flaw,”
says Friedman. “A sustainable product is one where all materials can be
cycled in a way where waste is non-existent. This is known as a “cradle to
cradle” design and systems thinking.”
Friedman’s passion for sustainability gave him the opportunity to serve
as a guest lecturer in the E&S Cluster as well as the MBA Sustainability
course in Collaborative Consumption at Fisher. He also led a creativity
workshop and gave a keynote presentation at the 2012 Association of
Ohio Recyclers Conference.
A SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT IS ONE WHERE
ALL MATERIALS CAN BE CYCLED IN A
WAY WHERE WASTE IS NON-EXISTENT.
In addition to his lecturing
experiences, Friedman
found success doing
research. His honors thesis
on consumer behavior and co-creation placed him second in the 2012
Ohio State Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. He also presented
his research at the 2012 Product Development and Management
Association’s Annual Research Forum, and published his paper with the
Journal of Undergraduate Research at Ohio State (JUROS).
Friedman is currently working on a permaculture and organic agriculture
farm in Israel before he begins working at Kalypso in September 2013.
He is seeing firsthand how a sustainable farm runs and getting to live
“off-the-grid” for a while. At the end of the project, Friedman will create a
permaculture design and implementation on the farm.
fisher.osu.edu/undergraduate
Leading into Sustainable Future Cont’d
The application to attend Green University started when
Makiuchi, along with three other teammates, took part in
the 30-Day challenge. Makiuchi states, “The purpose of
those thirty days was to see how far you can go to instigate
a green life into your everyday life. The first few days are
dedicated to basic awareness. What is the awareness level
of being ‘green’ on campus?” From there, his team explored
various projects in sustainability. Richard claims, “They
wanted to first teach us what is means to be green and then
how to go out and make a difference.”
At a young age, Richard became interested in
environmental awareness through his affiliation with Cub
Scouts and Eagle Scouts. His passion for sustainability
continued to grow, leading him to join Net Impact – an
organization dedicated to creating social and environmental
change. Richard’s commitment to Net Impact did not
waiver when he entered the Fisher. With the assistance
of Dr. Drobny, a Fisher professor and Sustainability Chair,
Makiuchi started a student organization called the Net
Impact Certificate Program. Members of the program learn
how to manage environmental projects on campus and
around the community.
With his experience at Green University behind him, Richard
plans to continue to work with Fisher and Net Impact to
bring green awareness to the Ohio State University campus
and community. He says, “The big thing this year has been
collaborating with other groups on campus who share the
same goals and bringing their initiatives together to make a
difference at Ohio State.”
Training for a Triple Bottom Line Cont’d
There are 18 students accepted into this selective cluster
program this year. Because of the E&S Cluster’s popularity,
Fisher is increasing the attendance to 35 students as of
next year. Once selected into the program as third years,
students will continue to develop with the program through
industry related speakers and projects. Students are
currently working on projects that deal with issues such
as increasing rates of aluminum recycling, packaging of
consumer products, and use of alternative fuels.
“The cluster is such an awesome opportunity. Those
involved ensure you are constantly invested, learning, and
understanding the experience as a whole,” says Wheeler.
The E&S Cluster is currently working with The Dow
Chemical Company, Alcoa, and Owens-Corning who send in
speakers and provide the topics for student projects.
The Sustainability Cluster draws attention to how eliminating
waste and ensuring sustainability can save money. Drobny
notes, “This cluster focuses on creating awareness about
career opportunities that can change society.”