A few months ago, we told you about the Unreasonable Institute, which will bring 25 social entrepreneurs from around the world for a 10-week summer institute where they'll receive the training, mentorship, and seed capital they need to get their ventures off the ground. Now, our friends are one step closer to choosing their first crop of social entrepreneurs. 34 finalists are in a race to raise $6,500. The first 25 to cross the finish line will attend the Unreasonable Institute. And the ...

BY FRANCES ALEXANDER A simple commodity like sanitary napkins is considered in the United States to be an inexpensive necessity that women would hardly think to go without. In Kenya, Donald G. McNeil Jr wrote in a NYTimes article, the location where these school girls reside, they are so expensive and rare that few dream of such a luxury. Most Kenyan families simply cannot afford to purchase a box of pads because it costs roughly the same price as a bag ...

I love the Olympics. Especially the Winter Olympics. I always come embarrassingly close to tears when Bob Costas shows the montage of the whole Games at the end of the two weeks. I know that part of why I love them so much is the quality of the hockey, but there are other reasons too. One of the best parts about sports in general are the celebrations of the athletes. They're so satisfying, even when the athletes are just competing for ...

The RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin and Dell are seeking undergraduate and graduate students from universities and colleges around the world to share their ideas for making the world a better place. Students winning the grand prize in the 2010 Dell Social Innovation Competition will receive $50,000 to turn their ideas into a new business or nonprofit with a mission to change lives for ...

BY LIZ WEBER Perhaps it is unsurprising that in recent years -- amidst a global recession and widespread critiques of financial markets -- a new breed of economist is emerging from the halls of academe and garnering public attention.  Rather than focusing on the theoretical or anomalous, these researchers explore how applied economics can be used to shed insight on some of the toughest problems in international development, from improving the efficacy of HIV/AIDS education in Africa to understanding the impact of microcredit on ...

BY LANI SEELINGER On Friday afternoon, only hours before the Opening Ceremonies began, someone told me that one of the Georgian lugers had died on a practice run. Of course, the news was terribly sad. I can't even imagine what it would be like to come so close to participating in the Olympics only to have everything end only hours before you were supposed to walk in behind someone carrying your country's flag. Awful. But I'm a little embarrassed to say that ...

BY SPENCER JACKMAN The New Orleans Saints’ path to the Super Bowl XLIV Title began long before their 2009 training camp. In fact, the franchise has faced many lean moments dating back to its inception into the National Football League (N.F.L.) in 1967. The Saints waited 33 years until their first playoff victory, and the organization was once well known for its “fans” wearing paper bags over their heads at games. However, these obstacles proved obsolete relative to the devastation and aftermath ...

BY LANI SEELINGER GES has played a big part in NU Stands with Haiti, the Northwestern community's response to the earthquake in Haiti. So far, the community as a whole (undergrads and grad students combined) have raised well over $12,000. And where has the money come from? Canning, bracelet sales, yoga classes, and, well, keggers. We've spent a good amount of time at GES meetings discussing the way things are going here. It's been a huge success in terms of fundraising, and ...

Have an awesome project but need money and guidance? Well, we’ve got the perfect solution for you! GES is excited to announce an awesome opportunity being offered by our partner Sparkseed. It's called the Social Innovation Competition, and wee are encouraging all delegates to apply! Sparkseed is accepting applications from exceptional college undergraduates who are leading or will launch ventures that tackle today’s toughest social issues. This is a great opportunity for GES delegates who are looking for funding, consulting, ...

Anything is Possible from The Canary Collective on Vimeo. There are no words to describe how thrilled we are: Brian Bordainick will be the opening keynote to GES. He will speak at the opening banquet, in front of GES staff, delegates and everyone who has collaborated with the realization of the Summit, including Northwestern’s President Morton Schapiro. Why Brian? The opening keynote should give delegates a taste of what GES is about, what they should expect from the Summit and above all, it ...