SPECIAL EDITION - CESR Stampede is Here!

Greetings from Donna

Donna Sockell

Greetings CESR Friends and Family,

Preparations for the 16-event week of April 15-19th, CESR Stampede at Leeds: A Week of Driving Values in Business, are now in the final stages. We hope that you will take advantage of at least a couple of the opportunities we are offering, described in this newsletter, even if you haven't been to Leeds for a long time. Almost all of the events are free and registration is easy by following the links provided. Francy Milner, lead faculty on Stampede, and I would like to thank CESR's tireless staff, student assistants, event leads, and faculty for addressing an almost maddening list of details necessary to put together such a bold schedule. We also have had some valuable support from Leeds staff outside of CESR, including our friends from Communications and Alumni Relations, Career Services, External Relations, Development, Undergraduate Student Services, Accounting and Procurement, and Leeds Technology Services, as well as members of CESR's External and Junior Advisory Boards. This group truly encompasses more than a village-- a nation would be more like it!

Though our eyes are squarely focused on Stampede, CESR has enjoyed a wonderful semester. We will report more on these developments in our next newsletter. For now, we have included a piece on our students' fascinating trip to see Warren Buffett in Omaha, Nebraska.

Here's hoping to see you at Stampede and wishing you all the best, always!

With Warmest Regards,

CESR Stampede Is Here!

The CESR Stampede at Leeds: A Week of Driving Values in Business, April 15-19, is a week-long event that will showcase the values-driven and innovative curriculum developed by the Center for Education on Social Responsibility (CESR)

that is shaping tomorrow's business leaders.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for each event! See links below, or go to the Stampede website to learn more and register for each event.

Monday, April 15

Visit a CESR Class:

On Monday and Tuesday of Stampede Week, CESR classes will be open for conference attendees to visit as silent observers.

Social Enterprise Panel & Lunch:

The panel will feature leaders in the social enterprise field who will address "Social Enterprise: Defining the 'new normal' for business in the 21st Century." Following the panel, attendees will enjoy lunch and hear from a guest speaker from the field of social enterprise.

(Lunch is sold out, but panel is still open for registration.)

Marketplace of Ideas:
Marketplace of Ideas features leaders of eight or more local social enterprises who will "pitch" their ideas and their "edge" to the shoppers. Additionally there will be open space for others to pitch their own ideas.

Progressive Tour of Local Social Enterprises:
Attendees will be taken on a progressive tour of four local social enterprises.

NVC Social Impact Track Case Competition and Reception:

The CU New Venture Challenge (NVC) is a university-wide business plan development competition. To enter, students form teams and create a business plan for their original business idea. NVC provides support to participating teams through mentoring and workshops. Once submitted, the business plans are judged, and cash prizes of $1,000 to $5,000 will be awarded. Teams are allowed to compete in five different areas, or "tracks": General, Cleantech, IT, Music, or Social Impact. CESR Stampede will be a spotlight for teams competing in the Social Impact track of the competition. On Monday evening, April 15, teams will pitch their Social Impact business ideas, followed by a reception at the Leeds School of Business.

Tuesday, April 16

The New Business Climate: Climate Change Science, Policy, and Business Expert Panel Discussion:

The "New Business Climate" event and panel discussion will feature remarks by a climate scientist, policy and law expert, and business consultant. These three speakers will provide the factual basis and context for a moderated panel discussion, addressing the threats and opportunities that lie at the convergence of the science, policy, and business of global climate change.

Sustainability Showcase and Networking Night:

The Sustainability Showcase is an opportunity for the community to come together and witness all that the Leeds School of Business has to offer in the form of student talent. This evening of impactful networking will feature a gallery-style exhibition of student work that addresses social and environmental issues, with the winners selected by our guests. The event is hosted by the Center for Education on Social Responsibility, Net Impact, the Leeds Sustainability Council, and Hub Boulder, and will feature catered hors d'oeuvres and a keynote speech from a special guest.

Wednesday, April 17

Conscious Capitalism Conference:

The 4th Annual Conscious Capitalism Conference - Business Reinvented: Transforming Lives gathers business students from universities across the region, and business community members, to learn how talented leaders have used the traditional tools of capitalism to serve social needs. The goal of the Conscious Capitalism Conference is to challenge thinking and stimulate the creativity of the next generation of great business leaders through exposure to outstanding business leaders who have made values-driven choices today. The group of influential business leaders and entrepreneurs who will be presenting at the conference will include Whole Foods Board Members Bud Sorenson and Mo Siegel, Tyler Hartung of The Unreasonable Institute, and Andrew Romanoff of International Development Enterprises, among others.

(Registration closes when capacity is met OR at 2:00pm Tuesday, April 16th)

Leadership Challenges Alumni Event (closed event):

Leadership Challenges: Exercises in Moral Courage, is a yearlong course offered by CESR. The course, open to motivated and interested juniors and seniors, focuses on values and leadership at the top level of organizations, and how to respond to real ethical dilemmas. Each year, the talented graduates of the course move on to prestigious and interesting careers, adventures or additional schooling, making the annual alumni event a fun way to stay in touch. This year, the reception will be held during Stampede Week. This event will be an opportunity for Leadership Challenges graduates to catch up and network with each other, and stay connected to CESR.

(Closed event)

Thursday, April 18

CESR and Deming Organic Industry Panel and Lunch:

CESR will partner with the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship to present a panel discussion and lunch about the Organic Foods industry. The panelists will discuss the environmental and economic benefits of the organic industry, as well as their efforts to incorporate social and environmental responsibility in their businesses. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions about all things "Organic".

How to Find the Well-Paying Social Impact Job That is Right for You, by More Than Money Careers LLC, Dr. Mark S. Albion, co-founder and Managing Director:

In this interactive workshop, participants will get a brief overview of the More Than Money (MTM) Careers System, and then work through one of the key MTM Careers tools, the Career Significance Navigator, to help isolate their dream job.

Making a Living While Making a Difference - Career Connections Panel:

CESR is teaming up with the Career Connections office at Leeds to bring students an informative panel on finding a job in the world of socially responsible business. The panel will feature the expertise of professionals with experience in hiring and working in socially responsible business.

Cynthia Cooper, WorldCom Whistle Blower:

In 2002, Cynthia Cooper led a small team of internal auditors to uncover $3.8 billion in accounting fraud at WorldCom. Later that year, Time magazine honored Cooper as one of their Persons of the Year for the courageous actions she took. As part of CESR Stampede, Cooper will come to the University of Colorado to discuss ethics, leadership and overcoming adversity.

Friday, April 19

Student Case Competition:

Participating students (in teams of 3 or 4) will receive a case based on a nonprofit organization working to promote community well-being and economic development through urban gardening in an impoverished Denver neighborhood. The case will be prepared in conjunction with a graduate engineering course currently taking place at CU that is developing needs-based projects to benefit this community. Judges will evaluate the teams' analysis of challenges facing the nonprofit and choose a winning team based on the most innovative and sustainable solution.

CESR Banquet (closed event):

The culmination of Stampede week will be a banquet at the St. Julien Hotel for partners, board members, students, faculty, staff, alumni and CESR friends to celebrate the work of CESR .The evening will consist of a reception, dinner and presentation on Values in Business.

(Closed event)

CESR Sponsors Trip to Visit Warren Buffett

By Brittany Moore, CU Student, and Catherine Milburn, CESR Instructor

A group of 19 University of Colorado Boulder students and one faculty member recently received the chance of a lifetime to visit widely known philanthropist and investor Warren Buffett in Omaha, Neb. Several times a year, Buffet invites eight colleges with 20 representatives from each school to Omaha for a day of tours at his Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries, lunch at one of Buffett's favorite local restaurants, and a Q-and-A session. This year, CU-Boulder was on that list.

This trip began a year ago when a Center for Education on Social Responsibility (CESR) Program Coordinator and Berkshire Hathaway investor attended the company's annual investor meeting in Omaha. After the meeting, the CESR representative mailed one of the Center's "moral compasses" to Warren Buffett. The compass is a symbol given to speakers and business leaders as a way to show CESR's commitment to teaching ethical business practices and to remind people not to lose their moral compass. Within a short time, CESR received an invitation to a collegiate visit on March 15, 2013.

All CESR students were offered the opportunity to apply for the trip and final selections were made based on applications. Buffett, who is an outspoken critic of sexism in the business world, required that a third of the students be women. CESR supported the trip by covering half of the costs and the students paid for the remaining half.

During the two and one-half hour Q-and-A session, Buffett touched on a variety of topics including ethics and the importance of simply being a good person.

"There will be people in this room who will be asked to do something they shouldn't. I would urge you if you ever get that order, walk away," Buffett told the students. "I will tell you it won't be easy, it may hurt your career, but you only have one reputation. At least for our own behavior we are the guardians of our own reputations."

For students in the CESR program, Buffett's positive and ethical advice really resonated.

"The most important thing I learned from him is definitely the passion and drive for life," said Zhenghua Yang, a business student who attended the Buffett visit. "He's super positive about everything that he talks about, everything that he's involved in. I really think that's the cause of his success."

Although Buffett admitted to being terrified of public speaking early on, he underscored the importance of communication skills as a requirement for success in the financial world.

"Nothing's worse than having great ideas and not being able to communicate them," said Buffett. "If you learn to communicate well, you will increase your value by 50 percent. It's way more valuable than spreadsheets. It's one thing I wish I had learned earlier."

Buffett answered many questions over the two and half hour session. Many questions were investment or business related, but the majority of his answers were based on his life experiences and included many words of advice.

Buffett left the students with the following words of wisdom: "Decide the qualities you like and emulate them and decide what traits you don't like and get rid of them. Assets are attainable and liabilities can be gotten rid of. The time is now."

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