The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation

We are thrilled to congratulate Chicago Booth student Keerthana Hogirala, MBA/MPP '26, on being named a member of the 2024 cohort of Paul & Daisy Soros Fellows. https://lnkd.in/ePhPbCBj. If you are interested in becoming a PD Soros Fellow and joining a community of New American leaders, applications are open until October 31. The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a prestigious fellowship that provides up to $90,000 in funding for immigrants, including green card holders, naturalized citizens, DACA+ recipients, and children of immigrants pursuing graduate studies in any academic field in the U.S. For more information about the fellowship, please visit www.pdsoros.org.

We are thrilled to congratulate Chicago Booth student Keerthana Hogirala, MBA/MPP '26, on being named a member of the 2024 cohort of Paul & Daisy Soros Fellows. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ePhPbCBj If you are interested in becoming a PD Soros Fellow and joining a community of New American leaders, applications are open until October 31. The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a prestigious fellowship that provides up to $90,000 in funding for immigrants, including green card holders, naturalized citizens, DACA+ recipients, and children of immigrants pursuing graduate studies in any academic field in the U.S. For more information about the fellowship, please visit www.pdsoros.org.

We’re excited to introduce the 2024 Tarrson Social Venture Fellows, a diverse group of innovators dedicated to creating impactful solutions in sectors from sustainable pet food to efficient waste management. This year's fellows are: - Gabriel Huertas del Pino, MBA ’24, founder of Arch Pet Food, is revolutionizing pet nutrition with sustainable alternatives. - Jane Kim MPP ’24 founder of KindEd, and cofounders Jonathan Brooks, and Xinyi (Bella) Huang, MPP ’24, are developing a curriculum to enhance digital literacy among youth. - Christopher Wen and Nikiar Ahmadi Ahmed, MBA ’24 cofounders of Covery Health, aim to provide equitable access to opioid use disorder treatments in rural areas. - Claudia Natasha Montolalu, MPP ’24 founder of Sirkularis, developing waste management solutions tailored for low-to-middle income communities in Indonesia, promoting sustainability through innovative SaaS tools. Dive into their stories and the changes they’re spearheading in their communities and beyond. The Tarrson Social Venture Fellowship provides $25,000 each in funding and other support to graduating university students or recent alumni who are committed to growing a startup that helps solve a social or environmental problem. The fellowships are supported by Ron Tarrson, ’72 (XP-31), and matching funds from John Edwardson, ’72.

Applications are still open for the 2025 cohort of IGNITE, the signature offering of the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab at Chicago Booth’s Rustandy Center. If your nonprofit serves Chicago’s Black community, this is an opportunity for your leadership team to receive world-class business education, coaching, mentorship, and consulting assistance. This nine-month program is offered at no cost, thanks to the generous support of Golub Capital, and is developed by Chicago Booth’s Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation in partnership with Golub Capital and the Chicago Urban League. Time is running out—apply today >> chicagobooth.edu/IGNITE. Applications for the new IGNITE cohort close in just 5 days, on Friday, October 11. Don’t miss this opportunity to join a network of leaders committed to driving change. Additionally, join us in congratulating the 2024 IGNITE cohort for completing this transformative leadership program. As the signature offering of the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab at Chicago Booth’s Rustandy Center, IGNITE equips nonprofit executive leadership teams with the tools and resources to drive change in Chicago’s Black community. The cohort gathered in New York for a meaningful closing retreat—reflecting on their journey, building connections, and celebrating their achievements. We are proud of the participating organizations in this year’s cohort: City Year Chicago, COMMON GROUND FOUNDATION, INC., Equal Hope, Girls Inc. of Chicago, LINK Unlimited Scholars, Sunshine Enterprises, Inc., and The Hope Center Foundation.

Seven emerging social sector leaders will join The University of Chicago Booth School of Business as part of the Civic Scholars Program. Please join us in congratulating and welcoming the new cohort of Neubauer Civic Scholars. The Neubauer Civic Scholars are: Erica Geeyoung Choi, Selamawit (Selam) Gebre, Min A Kim, Lexie Lehmann, Carly Oosten, Anajah Philogene (Roberts) and Rachel Zuckerman. Since 2016, the Chicago Booth’s Civic Scholars Program, established with support from the Neubauer Family Foundation, has offered scholarships to Booth MBA students who work in the government or nonprofit sectors. In addition to the core curriculum, Neubauer Civic Scholars receive specialized programming, dedicated faculty directors, and opportunities to engage with civic leaders.

Discover how purpose-driven businesses can thrive at the SECC Southside Connection Symposium on October 5. Join The University of Chicago Booth School of Business faculty member and Executive Director of The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation Caroline Ross Grossman and Xavier Ramey, founder and CEO of Justice Informed, for the keynote conversation: "Uniting Ideas, Forging the Future."   This discussion, moderated by Art Norman of NBC 5 Chicago, will explore strategies for incorporating ESG (environmental, social, and governance) factors into business models, and how to achieve both profitability and positive social impact locally. Learn how to leverage social impact engineering to grow revenue and lead communities with commerce.   For more information and to register, visit: https://lnkd.in/gbCAe7_z

Deadline Extended: Apply for Nonprofit Board Support by 10/7 Are you a Chicago-based nonprofit looking for strategic thinkers for your board? Apply to the Rustandy Center’s programs, which connect nonprofits with Booth MBA students and alumni. Both applications close on Monday, October 7. BOARD FELLOWS: This program pairs Booth MBA students with Chicago nonprofits as non-voting board members, offering pro bono business expertise to nonprofits. Apply to Board Fellows ≫ https://lnkd.in/eUxG6H85 Learn More ≫https://lnkd.in/dZvdtFs4 ALUMNI BOARD CONNECT (ABC): ABC connects Booth alumni as board directors with Chicago area nonprofits to bring expert business insights to nonprofit boards. Apply to ABC ≫https://lnkd.in/eyt-WVVb Learn More ≫https://lnkd.in/g54XmWSG Not sure which program fits best? Compare them [https://lnkd.in/evG4kKve]. #ChicagoBooth #SocialImpact #ChicagoBoothABCBF #Nonprofit #BoardOfDirectors #NonprofitBoard #ChicagoNonprofits

Explore the future of impact investing at the Midwest Impact Investing Showcase on October 1. Hear from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business faculty member and impact investor in residence Priya Parrish and The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation advisory council member Jessica Droste Yagan, along with other leading voices in the field, about the evolving landscape of impact investing across the Midwest. For more information and to register, visit: https://lnkd.in/gsjsBmQV Hosted by Impact Engine.

What happens when several Booth alumni and students become involved with Margaret’s Village, a small nonprofit in Chicago? Executive director Angela Hicks says the Booth connection helped the nonprofit grow and reframe itself. “Booth volunteers brought professional skills and became just as invested as us in our mission. It’s like we are growing up,” she says.. Margaret’s Village, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and senior services in Chicago’s South Side Englewood neighborhood, currently has five Booth alumni on its board. Multiple Booth students have served as Board Fellows and a Booth Alumni Nonprofit Consultants (BANC) team worked on a project for the organization. Alumni say that it is a combination of the mission, the organization’s focus on making the most of limited resources, and the ability to drive visible results. Board president Nandita Pinisetti,‘05, says the opportunity to create impact is compelling. “I tell Booth alums that you can set the direction and see how it evolves,” she says. https://lnkd.in/epMeNHyH

Meet Lorenza Ramirez, a Full-Time MBA student and co-chair of Booth’s Hispanic American Business Association! -Lorenza grew up in Baltimore and also spent several years living her Oaxaca, Mexico—her father’s hometown. -One of her favorite things is doing yoga with fellow Boothies. Every Saturday morning, they attend a CorePower sculpt class together. -Before Booth, she worked on political campaigns in battleground states. This inspired her to create a startup to help progressive employers recruit talented staff between elections. -A highlight of her Booth experience was competing in the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge, where her startup, Blueline, was a finalist. She’s excited to launch Blueline this fall. -Lorenza’s grateful for the support and community HABSA has given her at Booth. “I became a co-chair to pay it forward to the class of 2026!” #HispanicHeritageMonth