1. Lessons Learned in Marketing and
Communications from across the Ashoka U
Network
August 14, 2014

2. The world is changing—faster than ever before—
from a world run by elites to a world in which
everyone can and must drive change. In that
world, success depends on one’s ability to both
lead and collaborate, to see beyond silos, adopt
new perspectives, and to problem-solve.
- Bill Drayton, CEO and founder of
Ashoka
Welcome and Why are We Here?

4. 2:00-2:10pm:
Welcome & introductions
2:10p-2:25pm:
Where we’ve come from,
where we are, and where
we’re going
2:25-2:30pm:
Exploring Themes: A Shared
Language - What does Social
Innovation mean on your
Changemaker Campus?
2:30-3:15pm:
Case studies and featured projects
3:15 – 3:25pm:
Q&A: Participants ask questions using
the conference call line.
a. What do these case studies spark
in terms of your own challenges
and needs?
b. What else could we develop as a
community and what other
resources might be useful?
3:25-3:30pm: Conclusion and next
steps
Agenda

5. Where We’ve Come From
July 2013: Brought together 40+ public relations and
communication professionals across Changemaker Campuses
for an inaugural webinar.
• Shared Professional Public Relations Toolkit with network
(Hattaway Communications)
• Shared communication case studies from Brown University
and University of San Diego (website launches, blog posts,
and press)

6. Where We Are
2013 – 2014 Academic Year: Huge leaps in sophistication in both
communication and collaboration across the Ashoka U network

7. Changemaker Campus conference presentations & collaborative
leadership

8. Where We Are Going
On-Campus – awareness/community building with students and
faculty
External – funders, parents, prospective students, alumni, higher ed
leaders
Between Campuses – social innovation leaders
• Amplify each other’s work via social media and announcements
• Future webinars and follow up for collaborative opportunities
• Ashoka U Exchange: Feb 26-28, 2015: University of Maryland
2014 - 2015 Academic Year: Goal to increase sharing between
campuses and amplification of compelling stories through the
network
2012 – 2013 – Launch
2013 – 2014 – Build
2014 – 2015 – Grow

9. A Shared Language:
What is the definition of social innovation used on
your campus?
Creates social
and economic
value
Solves/addresses
social challenges to
create impact
Output of a
collaborative,
creative
process
Novel- more
effective or
efficient than
pre-existing
alternatives
Transformational
, innovative, new
Drives
growth
&
change
Systems
change
(root
problem
solutions)
A
methodolog
y or set of
strategies

10. Melissa Carrier
University of Maryland
Assistant Dean, Center for
Social Value Creation &
Office of Global Programs
Elizabeth Robinson
Middlebury
Director, Project on Innovation
in the Liberal Arts
Todd Manwaring
Brigham Young University
Teaching Professor, Ballard
Center for Economic Self
Reliance
Mary Watson
The New School
Executive Dean of the New
School for Public Engagement
Sara Herald
University of Maryland
Assistant Director, Social
Entrepreneurship
Contributors to the Shared Definition Project

11. Working definition based on shared definitions &
Changemaker campus analysis:
Social Innovation: A methodology, strategy,
process or concept used to support responses to societal
needs. The imperative to uncover innovative,
transformative, and sustainable solutions to social
problems regardless of sector or role.

12. Alex Braunstein
Communications Manager
Swearer Center for Public Service
Brown University
alexandra_braunstein@brown.edu
Student-powered storytelling: How do you enable changemakers to
create and harness the power of their own stories?

15. 1. Good stories require great
storytellers.
2. Not all narratives are created
equal.
1. If you build it, they won’t come.

16. Guillermo Zenizo Lindsey
PR Manager
Universidad de Monterrey
Mexico
gzenizo@udem.edu.mx
Integrating the Changemaker Brand into the History and Philosophy
of your Institution

27. http://www.udem.edu.mx/Esp/Somos-UDEM/Pages/ashoka.aspx

28. Christina Williams
Communications Director
Institute for Sustainable Solutions
Portland State University
cdw2@pdx.edu
Cindy Cooper
Co-founder & Director
Impact Entrepreneurs
Portland State University
cpc@pdx.edu
A Cross Campus Effort to Elevate Changemaker Success

29. Telling the PSU Changemaker Story
A cross-campus effort to elevate changemaker success

30. An online home for a
campus-wide initiative

31. Give changemakers a voice
• Who are changemakers?
Students, faculty, staff,
alumni—the PSU
community is making the
world a better place.
• Make the stories
accessible, yet inspiring.
Who’s a changemaker? We
all can be.
• Make the process easy to
replicate. We want to tell
many stories, not just a few,
well-produced stories.
• Give would-be
changemakers the
resources to plug in.

32. Unleashing the promise of business for social impact.

33. ELEVATING IMPACT SUMMIT 2014
Celebrating lifelong
changemakers
375 people
from across sectors; invited to
make a print and tell their stories
24 speakers & storytellers
including Ashoka Fellows, local
leaders, and a student
6 Pitch Fest finalists
& one audience-selected, first
place $1500 winner
3 Impact Awards
Entre/intra & campus innovation

34. The Business of Social
Innovation
Undergrad, grad, for-
credit and non-credit
Four-course, one-year,
majority-online:
• Design Thinking for Social
Innovation
• Money Matters
• Storytelling & Impact
Measurement
• Field study practicum
+Content & guests from
IE programs & partners
ONLINE CERTIFICATE

35. Conversation and Q&A:
Questions, comments, and other ideas?
o What questions do you have for our presenters?
o What do these case studies spark in terms of
your own challenges and needs?
o What else could we develop as a community?
o What other resources might be useful?

36. Next Steps:
1. Connect stories related to changemaking and social innovation
and to the community conversation (#Exchange2015,
#ChangemakerCampus)
2. Follow each other on Twitter by viewing @AshokaU Twitter list
for social innovation handles at each Changemaker Campus
3. Submit stories to Ashoka U to either amplify through social
media or to pitch to a national Ashoka media partner for
publication
4. Share ideas with Ashoka U, webinar presenters and each other
about how to build more effective and collaborative communication
channels
Thank you!

37. Goals
Showcase best practices of network storytelling
Reinvigorate, empower, and strengthen the
network
Create ongoing opportunities to engage & enroll
our growing community