aybe you are a student, committing yourself to "being the change you wish to see in the world" and launching a career through which you will make your mark by making a difference.

Maybe you're part of a groundbreaking organization that is guided by a social mission above all else.

Maybe you are an investor, drawn to an inclusive and equitable brand of capitalism, who sees entrepreneurial potential in people and places where others overlook it.

Or maybe you would like to be.

It was with change agents like you in mind that the Institute for Social Innovation (ISI) was founded at
Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management. The mission of the ISI is to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among individuals and organizations driven by a social mission, through education, research, and local and global partnerships.

The ISI feeds off Carnegie Mellon’s interdisciplinary and analytical approach to practical problem solving.
It leverages the Heinz School’s expertise and influence in technology, policy, and management while supporting its larger mission of educating men and women of intelligent action. It raises the global profile of Pittsburgh-born innovations while helping adapt models and learn from new perspectives from far and wide.

In the 2007-2008 school year, the ISI is:

• Launching three new courses: Social Innovation, Social Enterprise, Social Change; Social Enterprise Incubator; and Microfinance.

• Facilitating hands-on learning experiences for students that double as technical assistance for nonprofit and for-profit clients including the Manchester Bidwell Corporation, MetLife, and Veterans Leadership Program.

• Bringing pioneering social entrepreneurs to Pittsburgh for open-to-the-public speaking engagements, workshops, and mini-courses.

• Supporting efforts in sustainable local agriculture and other regional “green collar” workforce development.

• Incubating start-ups built around sustainable and scalable solutions for education, health, and the environment, and other basic human rights and needs.