Taking an idea and making it a reality. That’s the challenge Andy Greenfield ’74 issued to students this past semester in his “practical entrepreneurship” course, Thought Into Action.
Although students didn’t receive university credit, they were rewarded with mentorship from a marketing professional and the chance to see their ideas come to fruition.
The students: those possessing an entrepreneurial spirit, maturity to test their real-world skills, and commitment not only to the five-hour Saturday class, but also to the projects they set out to accomplish. The teacher: Greenfield, serial entrepreneur and founder of , a qualitative marketing research firm in Westport, Conn.
Meeting once a month in the Coop conference room, the class began with a morning lecture, followed by an afternoon discussion, and students would leave with a plan for next steps. In between classes, Greenfield offered individual phone and e-mail consultations in which he would assess students’ progress and help them troubleshoot.
From campus-based change to aiding people in Ghana, all of the projects trended toward a socially oriented theme, although that was not required. Students applied for the course last spring, interviewed with Greenfield, and submitted their proposals for his approval.
Some, like Stephani Nummelin ’12, came in with larger-than-life intentions. “I wanted to get everyone into college,” Nummelin recalled.
Greenfield helped her hone her idea, develop a plan, and set into motion a program through which ԱƵ students will help local high school students with the college application process. He also coached her in working with high school administrators.
As with any idea, obstacles arise when turning theory into practice, so projects changed shape somewhat throughout the semester.
Christov Churchward ’10, co-president of the composting club, set out to make composting a part of campus culture. Although he achieved this goal to some extent, he also became a leading force in getting approval for the new campus community garden, in which composting will play a role.
Matt Shafman ’10 will continue to develop his business plan to create a social network-based fundraising site after graduation. Through his website, Giveglobe.com (which hasn’t yet gone live), people who are trying to attain a goal, like quitting smoking, can place bets on themselves.
If participants accomplish their goals, they will keep the money they pledged; if not, the money will go to their charity of choice. Shafman said Greenfield helped him structure what he called his “jumble of ideas” and stressed the importance of clarity in his marketing strategy.
In addition to Greenfield’s advice, students benefited from the class dynamic. “The brainstorming sessions helped me think, not just about my own project, but listening to others and getting different perspectives,” Shafman said.
The class also created a sense of personal accountability. “It was a lot of help, if for no other reason than to give external motivation,” Churchward said. “There’s no way I could have achieved this on my own.”
Greenfield will continue to mentor the students from the class as he prepares for the 2010-2011 seminar. He is motivated by the belief that “a key role of the university is to prepare people to change the world.”
He added, “In order to change the world, you have to take action. This course focuses on giving students the tools to act and helping them translate that gleam in their eye into action in the real world.”
His hope, too, is that more alumni will follow his lead by returning to ԱƵ to share their knowledge. “It’s about giving students the skills and experience of making something happen, and that is one of the most empowering feelings someone can get.”
If interested in more info about this program, please contact Tennille Haynes at thaynes@colgate.edu.