NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Editor’s note: Guest blogger Aden Van Noppen is a senior at Brown University where she studies International Development. She is also an intern for Acumen Fund, where she works to develop programs that teach college students about private sector solutions to poverty. Aden was formerly an intern for Dalberg Global Development Advisors, where she worked on the development of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs.

Young people today are not protesting or rioting—instead, we are proclaiming ourselves social entrepreneurs and actively searching for the best models to address poverty. This movement is brewing on campuses across the country and the world, including my own, and Acumen Fund wants to help us develop the skills and knowledge we need to pioneer new approaches to poverty alleviation.

In response to growing interest among college students in social enterprise, and the potential we have demonstrated to lead social change, Acumen Fund wants to find ways to work with us. To start, Acumen is hosting a Student Leaders Workshop in New York City from May 28-30th to share their knowledge and collaborate with those of us who feel passionate about finding and communicating entrepreneurial ways of addressing poverty.

This workshop is an opportunity for students to gain skills and knowledge about enterprise development and social venture capital, and just as importantly, to communicate with Acumen about how to build meaningful partnerships with young people. The students who participate will return to their campuses in the fall with the opportunity to spread this movement amongst their peers.

If you are a leader for social enterprise on your campus, we want you to apply! If you believe that business and investment are powerful tools for poverty alleviation, we want you to apply! If you want to learn from Acumen Fund and members of Acumen’s community in an intimate setting, and then share what you learn with others, we want you to apply!

If you think Acumen Fund will hold your hand and help you find a dream job in the social sector after graduation, or want to add a cool brand name to your resume, this is not for you. Changing how the world approaches poverty is a big job and the people I have been working with at Acumen Fund are looking for real leaders who want to roll up their sleeves to challenge the status quo. If that sounds like you, we are looking forward to hearing from you.

Click here to find out more about the workshop and how to apply. Hope to see you in New York City this May!