Net Impact Conference Recap

Nearly a year to the day after I first visited North Grounds as a prospective student, I found myself en route to the 18th Annual Net Impact Conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a group of twenty-four of my new Darden friends and classmates.

Net Impact is an organization with chapters around the world seeking, “to inspire, educate, and equip individuals to use the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world.” It is precisely that vision and my own desire to make a global impact in my career that led me to business school.

Amidst the frenzy of our first hundred cases, however, it became easy to focus only on t-accounts that didn’t balance, on models that didn’t actually forecast, and on club meetings offering pizza before learning team. The conference encouraged me to stop and reflect on the bigger picture.

Net Impact reminded me of the transformative power of ideas. Corporations are tackling issues of environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility with new and creative initiatives. Nonprofits are collaborating in unprecedented ways. Entrepreneurs are developing innovative plans to address market needs while also serving the community. I was excited to see that there are opportunities for all of us to engage in each of these sectors.

The conference created an important forum of exchange for the growing number of students and professionals committed to these ideas. We spent the weekend with 2,500 attendees, including MBA students, founders of non-profits, corporate executives, leading scholars and accomplished entrepreneurs. Whether discussing a business plan at breakfast or corporate social responsibility over dinner, it was inspiring to delve into conversations with so many diverse individuals. I returned to Charlottesville feeling recharged.

Maybe most importantly, the weekend showed me the strength of the vibrant Net Impact community right here at Darden. We sent our largest delegation yet to a Net Impact conference with the support of the Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics and the Olsson Center. It was an important opportunity not only to build our network beyond Darden but also to interact with each other outside the classroom. We have a committed and engaged group in Net Impact, and I look forward to sharing the next 18 months with them.

Back on Grounds, Term 3 is now in full swing with bond pricing and storyboard building. I am hoping that these are the skills and experiences I will need to create the more socially and sustainable world that Net Impact envisions.