Entrepreneurship and the Liberal Arts
Oberlin College Promotes Entrepreneurial Education in Symposium

OBERLIN, OHIO – Oberlin College will host a weekend of discussions by distinguished business and non-profit leaders and Oberlin alumni in the College's first-ever entrepreneurship symposium February 8 and 9. All sessions are free and open to the public.

“Inventing the Future: Entrepreneurship at Oberlin” kicks off with a conversation with Oberlin alumnus Jerry Greenfield '73, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's ice cream company. He will present “Liberal Arts, Social Responsibility, and Ice Cream” at 4:35 p.m. on February 8 in West Lecture Hall, Science Center.

The symposium will feature two additional keynote speakers: Target Corporation Vice President of Softlines Product Design and Development Michael Alexin '79 will present “Driving Innovation: Thoughts and Lessons From Life Inside Target” February 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Conservatory's Warner Concert Hall and Dr. Jonathan Merril '84, co-founder of software development company Astute Technology, will present “Inventing the Future: Anticipating, Creating, and the Life-Cycle of Opportunity” February 9 at 11:00 a.m. in West Lecture Hall.

The symposium is part of the Creativity & Leadership Project at Oberlin, a campus-wide program to foster entrepreneurial initiatives among students. The C&L project is funded by a grant from the Burton D. Morgan Foundation of Hudson, Ohio, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, Missouri. Oberlin was one of five colleges selected to share a total of $6.6 million in grants made available through the foundations' Northeast Ohio Collegiate Entrepreneurship Program (NEOCEP). The four other NEOCEP schools – Baldwin-Wallace College, Hiram College, Lake Erie College, and The College of Wooster – will be represented at the symposium, says Andrea Kalyn, Oberlin Conservatory's associate dean for academic affairs.

Kalyn says the symposium defines entrepreneurship as “something utterly Oberlinian – creative and innovative ideas put into action in ways that cross traditional boundaries and bring about change.” “Our speakers and panelists have demonstrated this sort of highly imaginative, encompassing approach, and we want our students to be inspired and challenged by their successes,” Kalyn says.

Representatives of both the Morgan and Kauffman Foundations, which funded the C&L project, also will participate in the symposium. Attendees from the Morgan Foundation include President Deborah D. Hoover and Senior Program Officer Jean Van Ness. Representing the Kauffman Foundation will be Vice President of Kauffman Campuses and Higher Education Programs Marjorie Smelstor.

The symposium also will include a series of panel discussions throughout the day February 9.

The Musician As Entrepreneur:
The Passionate Pursuit of Innovation, Engagement, and Creativity
Claire Chase ('01), Executive Director, International Contemporary Ensemble
Aaron Flagg, Executive Director, Music Conservatory of Westchester
Charles Hamlen, Founding Director, Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS Bill Palant ('91), Vice President and Artist Manager, IMG
Moderated by David H. Stull (OC '89), Dean of the Conservatory
9:30 a.m. Saturday, February 9, 2008 [Science Center, West Lecture Hall]

Financing Entrepreneurship Julie Abrams ('82), Principal, Microfinance Analytics Jim Petras ('74), Managing Director and President, Early Stage Partners
Moderated by Luis Fernandez, Professor and Chair of Economics
9:30 a.m. Saturday, February 9, 2008 [Science Center. Craig Lecture Hall]

Exploring Connections: Entrepreneurship in the Arts Melissa Friedman ('93), Co-Founder and Producing Artist, Epic Theatre Ensemble Ron Russell ('92), Co-Founder and Producing Artist, Epic Theatre Ensemble Ben Kilgust ('00), Film Producer & Editor Karl LaRocca ('95), Graphic Designer, Master Printer, and Owner, Kayrock Screenprinting, Inc.
Moderated by Paul Moser, Associate Professor of Theater and Chair of Theater and Dance
1:30 p.m. Saturday, February 9, 2008 [Science Center, Craig Lecture Hall]

Agents of Change: Social Entrepreneurship Daniel Ross ('94), Director, Nuestras Raíces Alexandra Samuel ('92), CEO, Social Signal Aimee Thompson ('94), Founder and Executive Director, Close to Home
Moderated by Beth Blissman, Director, Bonner Center for Service & Learning
1:30 p.m. Saturday, February 9, 2008 [Science Center, West Lecture Hall]

Entrepreneurship and Energy: Synergies Among Academia, Business, and Government Marcia Aronoff ('65), Vice President for Programs, Environmental Defense Fund John Petersen ('88), Director of Environmental Studies and Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology Brad Swing ('83), Director of Energy Policy, City of Boston
Moderated by Roger Laushman, Associate Professor and Chair of Biology
3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 9, 2008 [Science Center, West Lecture Hall]

The full symposium schedule is available at: www.oberlin.edu/creativity

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Scott Wargo
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