Emily Mitchell is elevating the role and responsibility of universities by engaging local and national students in the revitalization of New Orleans, through IDEAcorps™ formed in partnership with Tulane University captures and implements the ideas of civic and business-minded college and graduate students, in New Orleans entrepreneurial ventures. For additional information please contact Emily at Emily@ideavillage.org.
About IDEACorps™
One of the silver linings to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina is the unprecedented opportunity for New Orleans to engage and retain young, bright talent – a stark contrast to the “brain drain” that has historically plagued our community. Accordingly, The Idea Village and Tulane University formed “IDEAcorps™,” a Peace Corps-like initiative for civic and business-minded college students and graduates.
In July 2006, IDEAcorps™ formalized with a grant from the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, and a goal of distributing $100,000 in “triage relief” to tourism-based businesses indigenous to New Orleans culture.
From this initial success, The Idea Village has raised over $1.5 million dollars in follow-on funding to support the IDEAcorps™ program. Each IDEAcorps™ team works closely with a portfolio of entrepreneurs to prioritize their business needs and assist in implementation of plans to address them. IDEAcorps™ teams focus on a specific industry, type of assistance, and/or neighborhood corridor to maximize impact.
Success of the inaugural IDEAcorps™ team inspired national universities to engage their students in specific projects to facilitate active participation in the recovery of New Orleans. The injection of national talent poses a phenomenal opportunity to recruit young, vibrant entrepreneurs to consider New Orleans as a long term career choice.
2007 IDEAcorps™ teams:
IDEAcorps™ Marketing Team: 6 Tulane University MBA and Undergraduate students worked directly with a portfolio of 10 child care entrepreneurs in brand development and marketing assessment
Child Care Mentors: 4 Tulane School of Social Work graduate students are developing a program to provide support and guidance to 10 child care entrepreneurs as they encounter social and emotional challenges in entrepreneurship
Assessment Team: 6 Harvard MBA students developed an assessment tool to measure commercial and economic viability in specific neighborhood clusters
Urban Planning Team: 10 Columbia University Masters of Urban Planning students conducted a comprehensive research project to assess implementation plans for commercial viability in Central City
Strategic Cluster Team: 15 Stanford University MBA students provided direct strategic advice and counsel to 25 entrepreneurs in New Orleans neighborhood clusters, including Bayou Road, Oak Street, and Freret Street.
Musicians Village Team: 3 MIT Masters of Urban Planning students conducted research for a Business Innovation Center project in Upper Ninth Ward
Technology Team: 10 University of Pennsylvania Engineering students donated 20 computers and comprehensive technology training to 22 Idea Village entrepreneurs