Gateway Elective:
Social Entrepreneurship and the Arts
This interactive course involving working with El Sistema USA reinforced my interest in social innovation and entrepreneurship. Through this course, I developed the prototype of my nonprofit Buzz, a website that connects high school music students with local community partners through live music performances.
"Social Entrepreneurship and the Arts" allowed students to train in creative social entrepreneurship and explore their innovative ideas in the arts and social change. It included exercises and readings on personal leadership development, developing skills in social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, fundraising, community organizing, and impact evaluation. Furthermore, It included a team-based internship opportunity outside of class. As a final project, students built a business plan and presentation deck for their own innovative ideas in the arts and social change.
Through this course, I developed my idea Buzz. This web-based nonprofit organization connects high school music students with local community partners by facilitating the booking process through live music performances.
Figure 1. Website prototype of Buzz
In doing so, I learned and completed tasks toward solidifying the idea into an actual business such as the executive summary, strategic plan, logic model, business plan, budgeting, and fundraising.
Figure 2. Logic model of Buzz
Additionally, I had an amazing opportunity to work with Katie Wyatt, the instructor for this course but also the president and CEO of El Sistema USA back then. El Sistema USA is a national alliance of members and education programs inspired by El Sistema founded in Venezuela “to effect social change through music for children with the fewest resources and the greatest need.” Working with El Sistema USA, I analyzed census data to identify areas of the organization and program that can be targeted to meet strategic plans. At the end of the internship, I proposed a new student membership system through the El Sistema website to increase the accuracy of data and feedback collection. This overall experience developed my strategic thinking skills and opportunistic viewpoint in organizational management.
These innovations, learnings, and experiences centered around social innovation and entrepreneurship built a strong cornerstone of my I&E journey.
Taught by: Katie Wyatt
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Executive Director of the Weymouth Center for Arts & Humanities (2021-present)
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CEO and President of El Sistema USA (2016-2021)