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Malnutrition. Water-borne illness. Cardiovascular disease. These issues and more were top of mind this semester for a group of first-year International Business majors challenged by their professors – Associate Professor of Management Diya Das, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Management Elzotbek Rustambekov, Ph.D. – to develop a business that would address a global social problem.

The assignment was part of Global Foundations of Organizations and Business, a three-credit component of Bryant’s nationally recognized First-Year Gateway.

On Nov. 2 – not even eight weeks into their collegiate careers – 10 student teams pitched their proposals to a panel of judges that included the director of strategic initiatives from software company Dassault Systemes and the director of operations for Swarovski.

The teams and their innovative solutions reflected extensive research and critical thinking about the scope of the problems they had identified, and the cultural mores and practices that would affect their business. In learning how to nurture their ideas into international businesses, they developed skills in design thinking, rapid prototyping, leadership, communication, negotiation and time management. They also grew in their understanding of the triple bottom line – the social, economic, and environmental dimensions their proposed businesses would have.

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Anina Major MFA 17 CR at RISD Craft 2016. | photo by Jo Sittenfeld MFA 08 PH

After several years of working in graphic design, Bahamian-born grad student Anina Major MFA 17 CR returned to school as a fine arts major eager to inspire others with what she has discovered through the act of making. Technically speaking, her current work combines weaving with the creation of clay objects, but the ceramist is still motivated by the same desire to communicate that drew her to graphic design.

“Art is a vehicle for dialogue,” says Major, who makes time to work in the RISD Writing Center and contribute to the our.risd blog when she’s away from the studio. And though the written word is no longer prominent in the finished product, writing – and the desire to speak that moves people to write – is still central to her process.

“Writing helps me to clarify my thoughts in a way that helps me make decisions about materiality, technique and the message I want to convey through a piece,” Major says. In fact, she sees her role as a black, female artist from outside the world’s core art centers as a statement in itself. “At a time when inclusivity matters so much, I am inevitably contributing to that discourse,” she says, embracing the opportunity to do so.

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On #GivingTuesday, people everywhere – including retailers, charities, online organizations, community centers, individuals, families and more – will come together with one common purpose: to help others and incentivize ways to give more, give smarter and celebrate the spirit of giving.

Salve Regina has joined this international celebration of generosity, and encourages members of the University community to make their annual gift on this day. Whether they support The SALVEfund, scholarships or a favorite Seahawk team, gifts impact the campus and the lives of students.

“We already have a day that acknowledges giving thanks, and we have two days to acknowledge deals and shopping, so this is a day to kick off the season of giving and encourage philanthropy,” said Alison Bognuda, annual giving officer, operations.

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A Providence College student who participated in the 2016 Humanity in Action Fellowship program is taking that experience to the next level.

Cassandra M. Chislom ’17 (Boston, Mass.) is collecting books for high school students as a component of Humanity in Action. The monthlong summer program brings together international groups of college students and recent college graduates to explore national histories of injustice and how those histories — along with current political and economic situations — impact minority groups today.

As part of the program, fellows are asked to design an action project that will impact the community. Chislom plans to provide books on role models to 360 High School in Providence, a secondary school dedicated to immersing students in real-world learning experiences and civic involvement. She hopes the books will “tell the stories of marginalized voices” — people of color and women.

Chislom noted that she read many books written by black scholars during her summer fellowship and wants others to share in this transformative experience.

“I realized how important it is, as a student of color, to learn about other people of color’s lives and personal experiences as a way to be informed about my own history, and to seek a better understanding of who I am as a person,” said Chislom, who is a double major in political science and in public and community service studies.

Chislom is currently in the book-collection stage of her project and is working toward finding space to store them in the school.

By giving students access to books about role models, Chislom wants teens of color to discover their potential by experiencing the same self-reflection and empowerment that she encountered during the fellowship.

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