Share this: DIRECTOR'S LETTER February 2014! How did that happen? Of course, I am missing temperate weather, but it also seems like just yesterday that
the Center for Social Value Creation was a seed of an idea at the Smith School. Indeed, the Center for Social Value
Creation turns FIVE this year. Yes, the Smith School has much to celebrate in 2014 as we reflect on a journey that began
with a belief that business can change the world and that our students will be the leaders to redefine the role of business in
society. We are privileged to work with the brightest students, faculty, alumni, businesses and community leaders by actively
engaging in cutting edge models that co­create economic, social and environmental value. In the coming months, we will
share more about our impact over the last five years and how you can celebrate with us!
READ MORE >
IN DEPTH The Wave of Peruvian Social Entrepreneurship
Almost nine months into my Atlas Corps Fellowship in the U.S., I am starting to think of home almost constantly. Watching
live­streamed Peruvian news on my computer every morning and smothering most of my food in the yellow pepper sauce I
buy at the Mundo Latino Market hasn’t been enough to calm the nostalgia. What has made it even worse is the constant
flow of disappointing news I’ve received from my country. Things like the social and environmental effects of illegal gold
mining, a total disregard for the lives and culture of indigenous people for the sake of fossil fuel exploitation, and
scandalous harm to the marine environment by the fishing industry have saddened many of my days. However, there is one
thing that has kept me from giving up on the future of my dear Peru: the rise of social entrepreneurship. There’s both good
and bad news; which do you want to read first?
READ MORE >
WHAT'S NEW :
6TH ANNUAL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SYMPOSIUM
The 6th annual Social Enterprise Symposium (SES14) returns to the
University of Maryland on Friday March 7, 2014! Unlike any other
event on campus, the Symposium explores the role of business in
creating economic prosperity and lasting social and environmental
change. This year’s event will feature two keynotes, a series of
breakout sessions and workshops, and our first ever Do Good
Ventures Showcase. The 2014 theme, “Don't Hold Back”, is a
prompt to the millennial generation: What could be accomplished if
anything was possible, and we used our unique talents to forge fearlessly forward ­ without ever holding back? See the full
Symposium line up by visiting ter.ps/ses. A big 'THANK YOU' to Symposium Sponsors and Partners, including: NewDay
USA, Earth Color LLC, and PwC!
NEW MBA COURSE IN BALTIMORE
In keeping with our commitment to experiential learning and using
the tools of business to effect positive change, CSVC has partnered
with UMD's School of Social Work to provide a one­of­a­kind
classroom opportunity to Masters of Social Work and Masters of
Business Administration students. In cross­disciplinary teams,
students will develop an understanding of community wealth
building through entrepreneurship. Specifically, students will focus
on the application of the Evergreen Cooperative model and its
capacity to create transformative community change in low­income
urban areas. Over the course of the semester these teams will put the concepts
into practice, analyzing community needs in West Baltimore and
generating comprehensive feasibility studies around business opportunities in the area using the business model canvas.
This work will shape West Baltimore’s and the broader community’s investment in worker­owned cooperatives as the
students’ research and recommendations will be a crucial step in realizing the opportunity. If you are interested in learning
more about this Community Wealth Building class or our partnership with the School of Social Work, please reach out to
Sara Herald ( sherald@rhsmith.umd.edu).
CSVC CO­HOSTS DO GOOD CHALLENGE The Do Good Challenge is set to launch on February 10th! This 8 week
prize competition inspires Terps to make the greatest social impact they
can for their favorite cause. Students team up to volunteer, fundraise,
promote awareness, or advance their own social enterprise during an
eight­week period. The Challenge will conclude with the Finals in late
spring where teams have the change to win $5,000 for their cause or
venture. This year CSVC has partnered with the Center for Philanthropy
and Nonprofit Leadership in the Public Policy School to create two
separate tracks that teams can enter. The projects track is for students to
do as much “good” as possible for a cause during the eight­week
Challenge. The Ventures track is for Student­led social enterprises
leveraging the Challenge to scale their long­term impact. Learn more by
checking out the Do Good Challenge Website: dogood.umd.edu
MARYLAND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CORPS
For the second year, CSVC is supporting Maryland Social
Entrepreneurship Corps (MSEC). MSEC is a unique eight week, nine
credit study and internship program that will teach students the basic
principles of social entrepreneurship through courses, case studies,
discussions, and hands­on, practical experience. The program’s mission
is to combat poverty across Latin America by supporting small
community­based businesses. This summer students will be traveling to Nicaragua or the Dominican
Republic with the opportunity to make a direct and measurable
contribution to rural development work in Latin America; gain first hand experience with the challenges and opportunities
inherent in social entrepreneurship; and develop skills in applying business solutions to real world social issues. All
students accepted are guaranteed a $2,000 scholarship toward the program. Applications are open until February 15th so if
you know anyone who’d be interested, be sure to send them to the program website.
STUDENT CONSULTING OPPORTUNITIES: CHANGETHEWORLD.ORG
Interested in consulting for a nonprofit? Looking for an opportunity to
enhance your resume? APPLY NOW to become a Student Consultant for
the Spring Semester!
ChangeTheWorld.org (CTW) is a social venture consulting program in
which undergraduate and graduate student teams collaborate with
nonprofits to find solutions to their most pressing issues. CTW matches teams of student consultants to work directly with
our nonprofit members on semester­long business consulting projects.Consulting projects are typically in one of the
following functional areas: Marketing, Strategic Planning, Information Systems, Operations, Human Resources, Finance,
Accounting, and Organizational Development. Student Consultant applications are due by Sunday, February 9, 2014.
Please review the project options, then complete the application and send your resume to Pammi Bhullar
(pbhullar@rhsmith.umd.edu) by Sunday, February 9th. The subject title of your email should read "Last Name, CTW
Consultant Resume." If you have any questions please contact Pammi Bhullar. We’re excited to work with you to create a
better world through business principles!
RECAP : CHANGETHEWORLD.ORG STUDENT SHOWCASE
Center for Social Value Creation and ChangeTheWorld.org
celebrated the Fall 2013 semester of social venture consulting
projects at the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business!
During the fall semester, 56 undergraduate and graduate Smith
students took on a total of twelve nonprofit consulting projects.
During this time students tackled business consulting challenges
such as creating university campus marketing plans, five­year
strategic plans, financial models focused on sustainable revenue
generation, and measuring programmatic outcomes. Students
worked with nonprofits from across the country, and on this evening
had the opportunity to showcase their work! Read more about the showcase here and see pictures from the event here.
2ND ANNUAL COLLEGE PARK
SUSTAINABILITY JAM
The Center for Social Value Creation
and the Academy for Innovation and
Entrepreneurship hosted the 2nd
annual College Park Sustainability
Jam ­ a weekend long engagement
aimed at creating new, real­world
ideas to promote and advance
sustainability. Using the principles of
Design Thinking the College Park
Sustainability Jam was part of a global
Jam movement that connected
"Jammers" from all backgrounds, levels of experience, and parts of the world. The purpose of the Jam was to learn about
design thinking, build new ideas, explore our understanding of sustainability, meet cool people, work hard, and HAVE FUN!
The end result was a set of "workable prototypes" that we uploaded to an international shared database (protected by a
creative commons license) and published to the world. Read more about College Park Sustainability Jam here and see
pictures taken during the event here. SOCIAL IMPACT CAREER WORKSHOP SERIES CAPSTONE
The Social Impact Career Workshop series, co­hosted by Center for
Social Value Creation, Office of Career Services, and co­founder of
More Than Money Careers, Mrim Boutla, taught Smith students how
to translate experience and education into a career path aligned
with their personal values. Workshop 3 – “Get Networking” ­ was the
capstone event to this three part series where Smith students had
the opportunity to meet and network with Smith alumni who are now
impact­driven professionals. Workshops 1 and 2 blended practical
exercises and mobile technology to strengthen students
understanding and help them engage with career resources at Smith. The students were than able to apply these lessons in
real networking situations in workshop 3. Read more about Workshop 3 here and see pictures taken during the event here. UNILEVER WORKSHOP
The Center for Social Value Creation hosted Unilever for a
discussion on their sustainable supply chain work and
Sustainable Living Plan. Matt Algar, Logistics Director for North
America, gave a brief presentation and then facilitated an
interactive case activity, asking teams of students to think
through a redesign of Lipton tea packages. See pictures taken
at the event here.
connect with us:
Share this: DIRECTOR'S LETTER
February 2014! How did that happen? Of course, I am missing temperate weather, but
it also seems like just yesterday that the Center for Social Value Creation was a seed
of an idea at the Smith School. Indeed, the Center for Social Value Creation
turnsFIVE this year. Yes, the Smith School has much to celebrate in 2014 as we
reflect on a journey that began with a belief that business can change the world and
that our students will be the leaders to redefine the role of business in society. We are
privileged to work with the brightest students, faculty, alumni, businesses and
community leaders by actively engaging in cutting edge models that co­create
economic, social and environmental value. In the coming months, we will share more
about our impact over the last five years and how you can celebrate with us!
For now, I would like to personally invite you to attend the Social Enterprise
Symposium on March 7, 2014 from 10 – 6 PM at Stamp Student Union in College
Park. The 2014 theme, “Don't Hold Back”, is a prompt to all: What could be
accomplished if anything was possible, and we used our unique talents to forge
fearlessly forward ­ without ever holding back? Join David Bornstein, Reiner Hengstmann (PUMA), Paul Bugala (Calvert
Investments), Jeff Senne (PWC), UMD student social entrepreneurs and many more to inspire, learn, discuss, and create the
future together. Register now to join the region’s largest conference bringing together students, professionals and industry
for unparalleled access to the changemakers and thought leaders of today. In this newsletter, you will meet Susan, Nadine and Protiti in our Spotlights. I hope you will also take a moment to read
Eduardo Salazar’s In Depth essay on Social Entrepreneurship in Peru to gain a new perspective from the field. We share
the successes of our ChangeTheWorld.org program with 56 student consultants serving 12 non­profits on business­critical
issues. And congratulate the Smith Undergraduate Net Impact chapter for its “Chapter of the Year” Award!
As I highlight just a few of the programs and events from Fall, we are already transitioning into spring initiatives. One of our
pilot programs this semester is a joint course with the School of Social Work. Together, MBA and MSW students are
assessing the feasibility and viability of launching community­led cooperatives in West Baltimore as part of a community
wealth building initiative. Key stakeholders include anchor institutions such as the University of Maryland, the citizens of
West Baltimore, community organizations, small businesses, local philanthropists, and government agencies. This is an
exciting endeavor for all of us! I hope you enjoy reading the Winter 2014 Quarterly Newsletter. On behalf of the entire CSVC team, we look forward to
seeing you at the Social Enterprise Symposium! Warmest Regards, connect with us:
Share this: IN DEPTH
The Wave of Peruvian Social Entrepreneurship
Written by Eduardo Salazar, Atlas Corps Fellow from Peru serving at
the Center for Social Value Creation
Almost nine months into my Atlas Corps Fellowship in the U.S., I am
starting to think of home almost constantly. Watching live­streamed
Peruvian news on my computer every morning and smothering most
of my food in the yellow pepper sauce I buy at the Mundo Latino
Market hasn’t been enough to calm the nostalgia. What has made it
even worse is the constant flow of disappointing news I’ve received
from my country. Things like the social and environmental effects of illegal gold mining, a total disregard for the lives and
culture of indigenous people for the sake of fossil fuel exploitation, and scandalous harm to the marine environment by
thefishing industry have saddened many of my days. However, there is one thing that has kept me from giving up on the future of my dear Peru: the rise of social
entrepreneurship. There’s both good and bad news; which do you want to read first?
The Bad News First
The bad news, in my humble opinion, has arisen from a blind trust in our exceptional economic performance in the last
decade. After the economic debacle of the 1980’s, which made inflation reach world record levels, the only thing Peruvians
cared about was surviving this scenario. Fortunately, we were able to weather this crisis situation, and return to ‘normalcy’
around 2000. During this time Peru became an economic leader in the region. Nowadays, the social turmoil of the past has been forgotten and trust in the “trickle­down effect” is strong. Our GDP is
steadily growing above regional standards and foreign investment is only shaken by uncertainty in polarized electoral
periods and other isolated events. Things seem to be going fairly well if one looks solely at economic performance
indicators but taking a deeper look into society, one notices that certain aspects may not be so good. Take, for example, the case of education. The morning of December 3rd, 2013 brought confusing news via El Comercio,
one of Peru’s most important newspapers. On the front page of this trusted news source were two vastly conflicting
headlines: one about Peru’s ranking as the world’s best culinary tourism destination; the other highlighting Peru’s status as
the worst ranked performer in math, science and reading, according to the 2012 evaluation done by the Program for
International Student Assessment. Examples like this one, the prevalence of poverty in mining regions, or extreme pollution of the Amazon basin by petroleum
companies, tell us that there is something wrong with the way economic growth has been managed. Generating economic
growth is not a desperate measure any longer, and Peruvian’s need to begin shifting their mindsets from saving our
economy “by any means necessary.” The social cost is just too high. The Good News
The good news is that an increasing number of young people care about social impact. This new generation of Peruvians
wants to add onto the accomplishments of earlier generations by combining an entrepreneurial spirit with a commitment to
social impact, to change the face of poverty and environmental degradation in Peru. Since working with the Center for
Social Value Creation, I’ve been able to take a new perspective on the power and role of business in creating social value,
and from this vantage point have been able to identify the beginning of a new wave of Peruvian social enterprises. These
social enterprises are represented by passionate leaders who strive to solve diverse problems, using a variety of different
business models.
Just a sample of some of these enterprises includes an organization called Ruwasunchis (Quechua for ‘Let’s do it together’)
that aims to improve the lives of Peruvian families displaced by terrorism by, among other things, empowering women with
entrepreneurship skills. Ruwasunchis also creates access to market networks for these budding entrepreneurs through one
of their projects, Ayllu Ruwasunchis, which enables them to sell knit products at high­end boutiques and restaurants in
Lima, a prospect that prior to Ruwa would have simply been a dream. Another example is Yaqua, a social enterprise that sells bottled water and invests its profits in projects dedicated to
establishing access to clean drinking water and sanitation in impoverished areas of Peru. With stealthy marketing tactics
like clever videos of people getting into situations that direly required a drink of water rotating in social media and product
placements in a popular TV show for teenagers, Yaqua started gaining traction. Most importantly, their first project to provide
drinking water and sanitation to the town of La Libertad in the Huancavelica region of the Peruvian Andes is underway. But it’s not only young Peruvians who are part of this new generation of change agents. People like Albina Ruiz, Ashoka
Fellow and Skoll Foundation Entrepreneur, have been making strides for a long time. Albina’s organization Ciudad
Saludable has been dedicated to waste management in Lima since 2001. Having established a waste management system
that is more dependable and less expensive than that of municipal governments, Ciudad Saludable is now a viable
organization offering income­generating micro­enterprises at every stage of the waste management cycle. These offerings
are now benefiting the health and well­being of more than 6 million people living in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru,
Venezuela, and India. Not yet satisfied, Mrs. Ruiz has also launched Peru Waste Innovation, a for­profit spin­off of Ciudad
Saludable that does social responsibility, environmental, and waste management consulting for corporations working on
the mining, petroleum, energy, construction, transport, and agriculture sectors in Peru. These are just a few social enterprises among many organizations working for social impact in Peru, be it through nonprofit
efforts, sustainable business practices or just generating awareness. They are a reflection of the Peruvian entrepreneurial
spirit combined with social concern. They are a promise of a better future where we will reach real progress by balancing
economic growth with social development in my country.
Not all problems are solved in Peru. Individual small scale solutions won’t have the impact to correct the damage done by
the unbridled drive to generate economic growth without regarding social costs. However, this new wave of organizations
dedicated to social impact will hopefully swell up into a tsunami that will change mindsets and have enough impact to turn
things around. After all, Peru is known by all surfers for its awesome waves. Here’s to all the changemakers and entrepreneurs
contributing to the swell. Surf’s up!
connect with us:
Share this: ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
An Interview with Susan Frost, Smith Alum and Manager ­
Management Consultant at PwC
Written by Blake Carlton, MBA/MPP Dec, '14
Frost is a Certified Sustainability Manager (CSM) and a versatile
management consultant with expertise in leading cross­functional
teams in understanding how to define and implement strategy
transformation, performance management, and change
management programs. As a manager in PwC’s Public Sector
Practice (PSP) she has extensive experience in sustainability
initiatives across the Federal Government. In addition to her M.B.A.
degree, she is rounding out her skills as a part­time student in an
Environmental Policy and Management M.A.S. program focusing on
sustainable development, energy and sustainability in regulatory
and policy issues, as well as alternative financing options.
CSVC: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Specifically, what was your career path both before and after receiving your MBA at
Smith?
FROST: My undergrad was at Wesleyan University, where I was a psychology major and I kind of fell into banking. M&T
Bank came recruiting on campus for a leadership development program. I had no idea what I wanted to do. It was my first
interview and first offer, so, “why not?” I moved to Baltimore to join M&T Bank and realized that it was the wrong “green” for
me. So, I decided to get my M.B.A. at Smith as a part­time student. Through my cohort connections I was introduced to the
Green Manager at Under Armor. Through coffee chats, the Green Manager and I designed a greenhouse gas footprinting and reduction project to occupy my
evening hours. That got my foot in the door into sustainability. In addition, at Smith I focused my case studies on
sustainability projects. Thanks to this experience, PwC found me on LinkedIn and I have been with them for the past three­
plus years, managing sustainability projects across the Federal government. CSVC: You are a specialist in people and change management and even published a white paper entitled “Federal Real
Estate & Sustainability: The importance of a people and change strategy to achieve results” for PwC. Please speak to your
combined interests in both human capital and organizational change management and how that relates to sustainability
consulting for clients. What does that role entail on a daily basis?
FROST: A lot of my projects at PwC deal with real property portfolio management. When we talk about sustainable buildings
and the efficient use of resources, we find that the most efficient buildings are the ones without occupants. We can build the
greenest buildings with the newest technologies, but when the building is turned over to the occupants, tenets and facility
managers, we tend to lose that efficiency very fast. It’s the people factor. It turns out that 98% of change­related critical
success factors depend upon people. This is why we recommend clients consider incorporating change management
initiatives into sustainability programs. That approach is not a one­size­fits all but is highly dependent on our client’s
objectives, processes, and culture. CSVC: Please describe the changes you’ve implemented at PwC and observed throughout the industry as they and many
other organizations start sustainability and social value creation departments.
FROST: PwC has identified five Megatrends for 2014, including 1) Demographic Shifts, 2) Shifts in Global Economic Power,
3) Accelerating Urbanization, 4) Technology Breakthroughs and 5) Climate Change and Resource Scarcity. Regarding my
favorite topic climate change and resource scarcity, we are identifying the implications of the needed resources to fuel
economic growth and feed the growing population. These implications can range from the means of how resources are
sourced, how conflicts and political tensions are addressed and how regulations are implemented.
That’s the high­level view. The conversation that we’re having here in DC is how do Federal Agencies prepare, react and
rebuild from the impacts of significant and sustained changes in climate while continuing to support their mission, programs,
and operations at an acceptable level. Our approach involves three phases in addressing this question: preparing a risk
assessment and action plan, engaging stakeholders, and increasing awareness on a global scale.
CSVC: Both from an internal perspective of PwC and from the perspective of a consultant to external clients, how do you
assist clients with mitigating the perception of “green washing” their business?
FROST: I think the process of avoiding “green washing” is an honest attempt to measure and quantify sustainable value and
then to communicate that performance to stakeholders through transparency. Companies like Patagonia do a great job at
this. I don’t know if you’re familiar with their Footprint Chronicles. If you order a jacket from them, you can follow that ' supply
chain process including the source of the materials and related environmental assessments. This data mixed with
transparency is a step to mitigating the perception of “green washing.”
At PwC, we create models to help track financial and non­financial impacts and various sustainability initiatives in an
organization. This goes beyond the discussion of energy management ­ it’s very easy for companies and organizations to
put a value on energy management. There’s cash attached to it and it’s easy to track. It goes beyond cash flows and defines
and measures non­financial impacts, whether it be – employee satisfaction, work place diversity. There is a great PwC
article that digs into this topic ­ Sustainability valuation: An oxymoron? You should be able to google it.
CSVC: I understand that PwC works with clients to help build sustainable communities and cities (e.g., climate change
resilience, economic stability/growth) around the globe. Please describe some of the consulting PwC performs for
organizations leading international development projects.
FROST: I talked about the Megatrends earlier. One of them is Accelerating Urbanization. PwC is ranked as one of the
leaders in consulting for smart cities. A lot of that growth is starting to take place in Asia and Africa. We help clients with
mega projects to help build city infrastructure. These projects span across a variety of areas including education, health,
security, resources and employment to help with an economic spur. It’s a really exciting time to be working at PwC.
CSVC: What did you learn at the Smith school that has helped you the most in your career so far? Is there anything that you
think you would have done differently while you were at school?
FROST: I took away a broad set of skills that allows me to have thoughtful discussions across many different topics that are
important to my clients and to PwC business. So, with that, I can have a conversation from a marketing perspective and then
switch to a discussion about financials. I would attend more of the extracurricular events outside the classroom. I was a part­time student, working during the day
and going to class at night, and, to be honest, joining an event on a Saturday was not of interest. But, looking back, the
biggest value I have from Smith is my network. I would take the opportunity to sacrifice a little bit more time to meet new
people outside of my cohort. CSVC: What other advice would you give to students who want to be involved in sustainability and social value creation?
FROST: Be passionate. In sustainability, you’re essentially a forever student. On a day­to­day basis, sustainability is
changing – what it is, what’s important, and this changes from client to client. You need to have that passion to be persistent
and flexible as sustainability evolves. When I speak with people looking for a career in sustainability, it’s a value add if I can
see that passion.
CSVC: Can you tell me a fun fact about yourself?
FROST: My idea of fun is running and biking. I think sustainability is a lifestyle and my passion for running and biking,
especially out in the woods, is my reconnection with nature. Also, I’m on a plant­based diet. One of the reasons why I chose
this diet is to lessen my environmental impact. As a joke, some people call me Sue­stainable.
connect with us:
Share this: STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Nadine Payne, MBA Candidate 2015
Written by Ryan Steinbach
CSVC: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Specifically, what was your
career path before you came to Smith?
PAYNE: I am coming to the MBA program from Law School and
after several years practicing as an attorney. I did securities
litigation. But in the course of that, I started volunteering with
microfinance institutions and attending microfinance events. I came
to realize that I really had an interest and a passion in what finance
can do as a development tool. So with that I realized that I needed to
shore up some quantitative skills and business school was the
place to do that. CSVC: Why did you decide on Smith’s MBA program?
PAYNE: When I first started looking at business schools, there were only a few schools that really had microfinance as a
part of its big name advertising. And at the time, Smith had just started the Center for Social Value Creation. In 2009 I
actually attended an MBA conference at Smith and decided that I wanted to go to a school that had this kind of center. I’m
local Maryland and you guys had what I wanted in the sense of having exposure to that type of program. That’s why
Maryland ended up on the top of my list. CSVC: What specifically draws you to microfinance?
PAYNE: Although I’m a citizen now, I’m a naturalized citizen. I was born in Jamaica. I came to the United States when I was
seven. One of the social structures that we have in Jamaica is a lending system. We didn’t call it microfinance. There was no
term for it. But it was the way that you saved for school uniforms, the way that you paid for additions to your house, and all
sorts of other things. Each week or each month you put in a certain amount of money into a pool and at some point you got a
payout. That’s how my mom paid for me and my brothers and sisters to do things. And when we came here, it was still a
system that all of the immigrants continued. That’s kind of why I understand and have a passion for microfinance. I’ve seen
what it does. Once I started reading about it, I was like, “wow, that’s exactly what we do.” It’s a circle in a way. It’s going back
to what I understand and making an impact in that space. CSVC: How has your time at Smith affected or changed your attitudes toward that initial passion for microfinance?
PAYNE: School is distracting, especially first semester of business school. There’s so much that’s just about the core and
the foundation of being here. It’s very easy to get on that treadmill and just stay there. Why you came gets lost in the sauce a
bit. You’re not thinking about why you’re here while you’re studying for finals. You’re thinking, “I really want to do well on
finals so I can get to the next thing so I can take the next test.” All of these things are important because it’s not just about
your passion; it’s about the whole process. But it’s very easy to get distracted from what you came here for. Becoming more
connected with the center has helped with that a lot. Being back in the mix of that world and the policy world a little bit is
helping me manage it better now. I’m making more of a concerted effort to stay engaged in the things that brought me here
and then do the work to be here and to be successful. CSVC: You’re on the center’s thought leadership team for the Social Enterprise Symposium. Tell me a bit about the session
you’re working on.
PAYNE: Our session is ‘Investing for Impact: What is Responsible Finance?’ The goal is to talk about the idea of having
your return on investment be a social impact as well as a financial return. Where we’ve gotten really lucky are the speakers
that have confirmed. A Senior Sustainability Analyst at Calvert is just one of our speakers who are actually practitioners in
the space. We’ll be able to have a conversation with people who know the space and can tell us how exactly a company or
a fund or an investment can be used for these multiple purposes. I’m very, very excited to be a part of it and pick their
brains. CSVC: What other activities are you involved at Smith?
PAYNE: I am a part of the CSVC Social Venture Practicum actually. My team’s task is to work with a former McKinsey
consultant who went to Sri Lanka. She is opening an orphanage there and we are helping her create a go­to­market
strategy for products that the women will benefit from. We actually had our first meeting with our advisor yesterday. The
scope of it is really big but I’m very excited to actually get involved in some of the work that brought me back to school. And
I’m going to China. I’m not sure on the details yet, but from the application, we’ll be constructing a business plan in
conjunction with a partner University in China. And then we’ll be doing the competition and presentation part of it in the ten
days that we’re in China. So I’m beside myself excited about that. CSVC: What advice would you give to students interested in using their careers to make a difference? PAYNE: You don’t have to sacrifice your appreciation for a certain quality of life to do good. I think this is a hurdle especially
for business school students. You’re not coming here because you’re purely altruistic. There is an appreciation for the
nature of the process that you’re engaging in. Recognize that it is okay to have an understanding and an appreciation for a
certain quality of life and that it should not be an obstacle for why you don’t pursue doing good in the world as well. Think
big and include a certain bigness for your own life. Open your mind to the possibility that you could actually do both. CSVC: What are your hobbies? Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
PAYNE: I love the theatre. School is making it incredibly hard to appreciate the theatre because it’s expensive. I’m also a
big reader and I really love science fantasy books. I’m also fascinated by Japanese and Korean horror. connect with us:
Share this: FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Protiti Dastidar, Tyser Teaching Fellow
Written by Peter Novak
CSVC: As a Tyser Teaching Fellow at Management & Organization Department, what
are some of the projects you’re working on right now?
In addition to teaching management classes at the graduate and undergraduate level
and her other initiatives, Protiti is involved in supporting and advising consulting
projects for the Center of Social Value Creation (Smith X) as well as for the Dingman
Center for Entrepreneurship. Protiti is also serving as an advisor for both the MBA and
Undergraduate Consulting Club. CSVC: Where do you see social value creation and social entrepreneurship being
part of that journey?
Protiti has been widely involved in the consulting world for many years. She has enjoyed it for, among other reasons, the
diversity of the projects she gets involved in. Her involvement in projects related to social value creation have added to her
diverse consulting experience. They have posed new and different challenges. In addition to providing new experience,
these projects have been fulfilling her emotional need to give back.
CSVC: What are some projects you've worked on beyond teaching?
Throughout her career, Protiti has been involved in variety of consulting projects for various for­profit as well as non­profit
organizations. For example, she worked on projects for the UN, KPMG, Special Olympics, McCormick, Jewish community
etc.
CSVC: What advice would you give to students interested in social value creation?
Even though the social value creation field has been very trendy in the past several years, Protiti suggests that students do
not only focus on projects and companies involved directly in the social value creation field. If that is the case, they could be
missing out on many other interesting opportunities since not all projects are only black and white. Many standard for­profit
businesses have socially and environmentally responsible initiatives which students can find very interesting and
rewarding. Protiti believes that every firm can make a difference. CSVC: When you are not here working with students and undergraduate opportunities, how do you like to spend your time?
In her free time, Protiti enjoys hiking with her husband. For example, she completed a trek around Mt. Kanchenjunga in
Nepal and also trekked in the Ladakh region in India. Locally, Protiti enjoys walking her dog, Inara, and if there is time,
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