CU Boulder class works to develop solutions for some of society's biggest problems

Apr. 24—Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct Peter Jones' position at Trident Booksellers and Cafe.

Freshmen in a social innovations class at the University of Colorado Boulder are coming up with solutions to some of society's biggest problems through social entrepreneurship.

Social entrepreneurship is when people create solutions to social, cultural or environmental issues. Students in this class are tasked with identifying one problem in the world that they care about and creating a business plan to rectify the problem.

Issues varied widely depending on student interests. Some topics include student debt, data security, food accessibility, affordable child care, mental health and the teacher shortage.

Freshman Camden Hornor is doing her project on a lack of funding for performing arts programs in Colorado public high schools. Hornor said she's working on a business plan for a nonprofit to create scholarships and provide funding to high schools that have limited or no performing arts programs for students.

"This could be the next Aaron Sorkin, this could be the next Picasso," Hornor said. "But they never have a chance to have their voice heard because they don't have the ability to express their art because people don't think it's as important."

Hornor participated in performing arts in high school and said it helped her find who she was and develop important personal connections. She said most of a school's funds go to academics or athletics, leaving performing arts programs, such as band, theater and art classes, underfunded or nonexistent at some public schools.

Hornor's major is design and technology management in the performing arts. She said performing arts is a key player in culture and community, along with providing kids a place to belong and express themselves.

"It was so important to me in school to make those connections through the performing arts program for people that aren't generally athletic, or people part of the LGBTQ+ community who are looking for that connection, that's generally where we find it in middle and high school," Hornor said.

Freshman Lily Patrick is working on a project to help seniors in the community share their stories and feel heard and valued.

"I worked in a nursing home before, like a long-term care facility, and saw firsthand how this segment of the population can often be forgotten," Patrick said. "And they have a lot of really valuable wisdom and stories to share that just aren't always heard."

Patrick said the senior community is at a vulnerable point in their lives and has seen how they're not always seen as people just because they have various health issues.

"The overarching goal I would say is to make sure people feel listened to," Patrick said. "At this point, we are such a small group that even if we were able to just talk to a few people and make them feel more comfortable and more seen, that's the basic goal."

As part of the project, Patrick is working with the intergenerational writing class at CU, the veterans community at CU and local nursing homes. She said she's in the process of working with nursing homes to schedule events where students can go and meet with seniors, listen to what they have to say and learn stories about their past.

Patrick is also developing a website for seniors to submit stories about themselves or for family and friends to submit on their behalf. She wants to create a timeline and interactive online site for people to connect over the stories they submit.

Professor Laura DeLuca leads the class, which is part of the Stories and Societies RAP program for first-year students with an interest in how their own narratives connect to the past, to current societies and to the future.

While not everyone will take their business plan into the world, DeLuca said she hopes her students gain pragmatic skills and a new perspective.

"This is content-driven in terms of what's the literature, what's the techniques, what are the skillsets of social innovation and social entrepreneurship," DeLuca said. "But, the stories and societies program is also about forming community, getting to know each other, getting that comfort zone beyond your freshman residence hall."

DeLuca also had some local social entrepreneurs share their stories with her students, including Trident Bookseller and Cafe owner and general manager Peter Jones, Quinn's Snacks community manager Celeste Haberman, and Nude Foods Market co-founder Verity Noble, among others.

Hornor said the class has been "immersive" and "empowering."

"It's very much an empowering class because it's like here's a problem, you don't have to wait for government officials to do something about it, you don't have to wait for this person with a lot of money to do something about it, you can change it," Hornor said. "You have that power, you have that ability, here are all the tools you need to do it and if you want to do it, you absolutely can."