Spring Break
Miami partners with Edun Apparel Ltd.
Business students bring together U.S. universities, African workers
Jane Frye
Issue date: 1/12/07 Section: Front Page
"Our goals are very clear," Kemp-Griffin said. "We want to develop our business and we want the opportunity to tell our story, to teach our model of socially conscious business."
Edun LIVE representatives said they were excited about the new partnership with Miami students.
"College students are fantastic consumers and early trendsetters," Kemp-Griffin said.
Brett Smith, instructor of entrepreneurship at Miami, is also excited about what the partnership means for the recently created Center for Social Entrepreneurship.
"We're just beginning, just scratching the surface," Smith said. "It's a shining example of social entrepreneurship, you create change at so many levels and this is a wonderful first step."
Smith initially came with the idea for a partnership when he found Edun LIVE's Web site and saw that the business was looking for opportunities to expand. After e-mail correspondence, students from the Center for Social Entrepreneurship adopted the cause as the avenue for a real-life business venture.
So far Edun LIVE on Campus is already building business. Since operation began in October, the group has secured 24 orders, totaling more than 2,600 T-shirts from groups such as Associated Student Government, Program Board, Greek organizations, and Miami athletics.
"It's been unique because we don't have a store - our store is our apartments or dorms," Mitchelides said. Everything is done through e-mail."
President David Hodge said that the creation of Edun LIVE on Campus serves as an educational opportunity for students in multiple ways.
"I think it's fantastic because of the fact that it has potential to make a difference to the people of Africa and because it is also about students understanding the power they have," Hodge said. "This is smart education. They have learned so much about how to be an entrepreneur."
For Mitchelides, the humanitarian benefit resonates the loudest.
"It pushes students to be socially conscious," Mitchelides said. "T-shirts aside, it's about helping people."
Edun LIVE representatives said they were excited about the new partnership with Miami students.
"College students are fantastic consumers and early trendsetters," Kemp-Griffin said.
Brett Smith, instructor of entrepreneurship at Miami, is also excited about what the partnership means for the recently created Center for Social Entrepreneurship.
"We're just beginning, just scratching the surface," Smith said. "It's a shining example of social entrepreneurship, you create change at so many levels and this is a wonderful first step."
Smith initially came with the idea for a partnership when he found Edun LIVE's Web site and saw that the business was looking for opportunities to expand. After e-mail correspondence, students from the Center for Social Entrepreneurship adopted the cause as the avenue for a real-life business venture.
So far Edun LIVE on Campus is already building business. Since operation began in October, the group has secured 24 orders, totaling more than 2,600 T-shirts from groups such as Associated Student Government, Program Board, Greek organizations, and Miami athletics.
"It's been unique because we don't have a store - our store is our apartments or dorms," Mitchelides said. Everything is done through e-mail."
President David Hodge said that the creation of Edun LIVE on Campus serves as an educational opportunity for students in multiple ways.
"I think it's fantastic because of the fact that it has potential to make a difference to the people of Africa and because it is also about students understanding the power they have," Hodge said. "This is smart education. They have learned so much about how to be an entrepreneur."
For Mitchelides, the humanitarian benefit resonates the loudest.
"It pushes students to be socially conscious," Mitchelides said. "T-shirts aside, it's about helping people."
