The Minor in Social Entrepreneurship is an award-winning, pan-university program that empowers students to challenge the status quo and to create, innovate, and lead positive change in the world. Students in the minor are able to take electives across many different schools at UVA, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and design thinking to create the most innovative solutions to real world problems. Are you considering the SE minor? Read on to meet two of our wonderful SE students and read why they chose the SE minor!

Meet the SE Fellows

Name: Liza Khutsishvili

Hometown: Charlottesville, VA

Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Commerce (IT and Business Analytics) and Global Public Health majors with SE minor

Open Office Hours: Wednesdays 10 AM - 12 PM in Garrett Hall or book a time to meet with Liza here.

Contact Information/Email: lk4cy@virginia.edu

Why I Chose the SE Minor: My long term career goal is to work in healthcare, which is in need of young and passionate individuals with disruptive thinking. I strongly believe that the SE minor has helped me grow my creativity and problem solving skills that I could take with me to my career where I hope to spearhead change management initiatives. 

Favorite SE Project or Class: My favorite part about the SE minor is the variety of classes it includes in the electives, ranging across multiple schools. I took EDLF 2050: What the Innovators Do through the Education School and ARCH 2070: Intro to Designing and Thinking through the Architecture School in my second year. They introduced me to subjects I had never interacted with prior, and through them, I grew my multidisciplinary mindset and became a more holistic problem solver.

Name: Andrew Rummel

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Major in Economics and Minor in Social Entrepreneurship

Open Office Hours: Mondays 12:00 – 2:00 PM in Garrett Hall or book an appointment to meet with Drew here.

Contact Information/Email: ajr2da@virginia.edu

Why I Chose the SE Minor: I think that social entrepreneurship is the ultimate tool for making long-lasting change and systematic economic development in communities globally. I wanted to expand my knowledge in this field and learn from the incredible faculty. I have had the opportunity to have hands-on experiences in Appalachia and Dominica and pitched my own ideas at competitions. 

Favorite SE Project or Class: This past May, I was able to go to Dominica to learn about social entrepreneurship in developing island states. We were able to work with a local enterprise and provide impact analysis for them. My group specifically worked with WePlanet, an app that helps monitor environmentally friendly actions and provides rewards for those actions. It was an incredible learning experience, and we also were able to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean nation!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Fellows or drop by their Open Office Hours! Applications open this fall to all students who are currently enrolled in or have taken ENTP 1010: Startup!