By Jeremy Intal Regardless of our goals or our age, the metrics with which we define our success plays a huge role in our lives. Whether we engage in the social entrepreneurship sphere or not, our metrics of success often steer our motives for action. In truth, too often society equates an individual’s success with his or her job, what GES Short Talk speaker Matt Tranchin referred to as “occupational symbolism.” For Matt, the motives for action did not come immediately. Declaring ...

by Elizabeth Derby It’s the first full day of GES and you can feel the excitement in the air. Delegates and staff alike are buzzing around Norris, some frantically planning and plotting while others sit talking, sharing their stories. Everywhere I look people are repping their spanking new t-shirts, flipping through their programs, and sticking laptop stickers to their Macbooks. Eventually the masses of people shuffle into the Louis Room for the first speakers of the day, a panel on “Cross-Sector ...

http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/how-charities-used-donations-for-haiti/?scp=1&sq=donations&st=cse If you're reading this, you're probably among the estimated two-thirds of Americans who donated to help Haiti through the catastrophic earthquake of 2010. And whether you gave $10 through text messaging or $1,000 through the Red Cross, you've probably wondered where exactly your dollars went. The New York Times published a short article a few days ago describing the efforts of Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org), which, according to it's website, "works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic ...

This week we are featuring a guest blog post from Nathaniel Whittemore - one of the original founders of the Global Engagement Summit. To read the original blog post visit http://nlw.posterous.com/ Unbelievable. 30 years after coming into power at the hest of the bullet cut down Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, Hosni Mubarak has been removed from power not with violence but on the backs of the united voices of millions of Egyptians who have spent the last three weeks demonstrating for a ...

So I’m in this class at Northwestern called “Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Writing for Social Change” along with half the staff in GES. We were recently assigned homework to write about what writing for social change is and what it can be. Besides the traditional reactions and answers, the crux of the discussion in class revolved around what the end product of such writing should be. I obviously don’t know the final answer but, more truthfully, I’m probably disappointed with the common response. Writing, I guess, is ...

I traveled to Namibia to report on refugee issues with fellow students and my journalism professor for a week this past December. Once there, we spent our time talking to refugees at the settlement and neighboring town, Otjiwarongo, and then compiling the information onto our website, www.refugeelives.org. In almost every sense, the sweltering heat of the Namibian desert is a world away from the snowy sidewalks of Northwestern.  Besides the family and friends I spammed with the link to the site, ...

By Sojung Park 1. How long have you been part of GES and what was your favorite part about the experience? I joined GES (it was IYVS at the time) when I was a sophomore (2006-2007). At the time I knew very little about international development, so GES became my teacher--the people, the experiences, the summit, and the opportunities. My favorite part was that everyone and everything shaped one another, pushing and pulling until something smarter, more responsible, and more beautiful emerged. ...

This week Northwestern's Conference on Human Rights kick off with an opening keynote speech by Rose Mapendo, "a global activist for peace and reconciliation, The 2009 United Nations Humanitarian of the Year, CNN Hero and Volvo for Life Award Recipient."  To read more of her incredibly story visit http://mapendonewhorizons.org/node/34 The conference is themed Human Rights in Transit: Issues of Forced Migration and also includes a closing keynote speech, "Cessation: Uganda Style" by Dr. Barbara Harrell-Bond of Oxford University. According to the Cultural Orientation Resource ...

By Maryam Adamu 1. What was your experience like with the GES? Did you have a project in mind when you came in? I found GES as a platform to meet youth social entrepreneurs around the world and to build a stronger network with various like-minded organizations and individuals. It was also an idea lab where people with varieties of experiences and background come together and discuss freely. Furthermore, the online connection made GES community more beautiful. When I was in GES ...

By Tadelech Mengesha How long were you in GES and what was your favorite part? I was in GES for three years (sophomore through senior year). My favorite part was by far the people I met and the friendships I developed. The people in GES became some of my closest friends at NU, and both the staff and the delegates were among the most driven, passionate people I've ever know. Aside from that, I also just loved throwing down at Ethiopian ...