[Alumni-chat] Developing Social Entrepreneurs at Antioch

[Michael Brower]

A couple of months ago Mark Pomerantz, in commenting on Arthur  
Morgan's legacy for Antioch, included in a longer message, that :
"other colleges are developing various forms of social entrepreneurship,
developmental entrepreneurship, and other environmental and community
development type programs that offer students training to be change  
agents
as well as a potential career path(s). Antioch is basically ignoring  
this
trend except for its service learning programs."

TO Mark, and all my fellow Alums:

1)  Antioch faculty are right now, even as we read, developing a new  
program in Environment and Ecology.  (I don't remember the exact  
name.)  Already a visiting Advisory Committee of Alums has been  
recruited and has held their first meeting at Antioch to help with this.

2) Antioch New England (ANE) has a world recognized  Environmental  
Advocacy and Organizing Program.  Our Boston Alumni Chapter is  
holding a joint meeting on October 14, at Tufts University, where  
Steve Chase, the creator and leader of this program, will be speaking  
about it.  You are all invited.  Just please let me know.  I think  
that Antioch College and Antioch New England would be wise to develop  
more cooperation in this (and other?) fields and faculty sharing.

3)  Mark, your comments above about social entrepreneurship and  
developmental entrepreneurship are, I think, very on target.
Personally I have helped to start several non-profit organizations  
and led one for 3 decades.  When asked to describe myself, I have  
sometimes called myself a "social entrepreneur."   When you in person  
described to me some months ago your interest in and passion for,  
this field, and your hopes that Antioch would develop a center for or  
at least a program in, social entrepreneurship,  I heartily agreed.

Now, I think it is time to face three truths about this and all other  
similar good, but expensive, new ideas:

1)  It is a damn good idea and one which fits very well with  
Antioch's past, present and future.

2)  Antioch does not have any surplus dollars to fund such a new  
program, or Fund raising leadership or staff that could go after  
this, given that they are struggling to cover the current huge annual  
deficit and to develop a REAL capital endowment.

3) This means that an Alum, any Alum, YOU, with a great idea like  
this, needs to go out and sell it to several foundations and  
millionaires (billionaires?) until you find one or more that will put  
up $5-10 million dollars to endow an Antioch Center for Social  
Entrepreneurship.  Only the annual interest on the endowment could be  
used, so it will be ongoing, permanent, assured.
I'm not much on current salaries and fringe benefits and overhead  
costs, nor on returns on investments.  But, to take some wild  
guesstimates, here is a first cut.  How about:

A)  Two faculty positions at $60,00 each per year.   (This may be  
(probably is?) too low.
B)  Minimum of one support staff position at $30,000 per year.
C)  Equals staff total (starting) of $150,000 per year.
D)  Plus Fringes and Overhead (??) of 50% would equal $75,000 per year.
E)  Plus special student Scholarships and travel expenses of $75,000  
per year.
F)  Equals a total of $300,000 per year Center expenses.
G)  IF endowed funds earn on average, good years and bad, 5%, then we  
need
to raise a new capital endowment fund of $6 million, on which 5% per  
year
would provide $300,000 per year in income.

Whadya say, Mark.  Are you game to go after raising $6 million in  
Capital to fund
this great idea?  You are both knowledgeable and passionate about  
this field, this idea, and Antioch.
And IT IS a damn good idea, important, good fit with Antioch.
Who better than you to go do this?

Who will help Mark get this going?

Mark and fellow Alums:  If we cannot, will not, do not, step up to  
the plate and start hitting triples
and homers like this for Antioch, there is no point, ZERO,  in our  
complaining that Antioch is not\
developing this program, or starting that program or Center or doing  
this or that new and innovative.

Antioch does NOT have the resources, capital or dollars.  It is up to  
US to step up to the plate and
make it happen.  Who among us is up for the challenge?

Here is my suggestion to all us Alums.  For Each new innovation we  
create for Antioch, for each
$100,000 we raise for Antioch, we are entitled to ONE complaint.  No  
more than One.  OK?!?

Mike Brower '55, Member, Alumni Board