Business Student Wins $10,000 Jack Rawlins Award for Environmental Proposal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 3, 2006
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Business Student Wins $10,000 Jack Rawlins Award for Environmental Proposal
Taylor Bass, a junior business major, California State University, Chico, has won the $10,000 Jack Rawlins Environmental Award. This is the first time the prize, created by Rawlins to foster a lifelong commitment to environmental activism, has been awarded.
Bass, who has an option in management with a pattern in entrepreneurship and minors in marketing and in managing for sustainability, wrote a winning proposal titled "Social Entrepreneurs Emerging with new Direction," or SEED.
The guidelines for the Jack Rawlins Environmental Award recognize that resolution to environmental problems requires the cooperation of people from all walks of life and with varying perspectives. A characteristic of the successful applicant, stated the guidelines, would be to "have the skills and desire to communicate ideas to those around him."
Bass's winning idea is to create a student-run organization that will "change the way people in Chico act to make a direct impact on the environment." He envisions this organization attracting and developing "social entrepreneurs." Social entrepreneurs, Bass said, are individuals with innovative solutions to society's most pressing social problems. "They are ambitious and persistent, tackling major social issues and offering new ideas for wide-scale change," said Bass.
"The selection committee is very pleased to honor Taylor with this award," said James Pushnik, Rawlins Professor of Environmental Literacy. "His plan of creating social entrepreneurs is based on a large vision. It reflects Jack Rawlins' own large view of environmental problems and solutions. Taylor's project sets the bar high for these awards."
President Paul Zingg and Jack Rawlins will present the award to Bass at a Sustainability Conference buffet-style dinner tonight, from 5 until 8 p.m." (Sustainability Conference is now in progress and will continue through Sunday, Nov. 5.)
A plan is being developed now for the Rawlins Environmental Award to be given each spring and fall semester beginning in 2007.
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