Carnegie Mellon University Receives Net Impact's Gold Chapter Standing

PITTSBURGH, July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Net Impact has awarded the Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business graduate student chapter its prestigious Gold rating, reflecting exceptional performance during the past academic year. Of the 300 Net Impact chapters worldwide, only 16 percent achieved this exceptional designation. "Each year, Gold chapters raise the bar and mobilize students and professionals to use their careers for good. Their critical support provides members real-world projects that build professional skills and a community of peers who work together to achieve their high impact goals," said Net Impact CEO Liz Maw. "Gold chapters are at the forefront of the movement to build a new generation of business leaders."

Chapters achieve Gold or Silver standing by meeting a rigorous set of requirements based on its activities, programming and membership reach. This year's Gold and Silver chapters helped the Net Impact network provide more than 2,200 local events worldwide and more than 170 programs that allow members to positively impact their community. Gold and Silver chapters also strengthened the overall network by regional collaboration, mentoring other chapters and sharing successful ideas with their peers. Carnegie Mellon's activities this year were led by Alanna Houck, president, and vice presidents  Nirali Shah, Rajashree Todmal, Travis Campbell and Yoshiko Monden Hisatomi.

The CMU Tepper School chapter was created only a few years ago and has made tremendous strides in terms of membership and the caliber of events, which have recently included a roundtable with Eva Tansky Blum, senior vice president of PNC Bank and chairwoman and president of PNC Foundation, and George Shelton, senior vice president for Reputation Management and Corporate Strategies, Hill and Knowlton Strategies. The chapter also co-led Pro-Bono Consulting, a program in which more than 50 students provided technical assistance to eight local nonprofits from January to May. The program recognized Carnegie Mellon's and the Tepper School of Business' commitment to corporate social responsibility and builds off this year's launch of the Ethics and Social Responsibility concentration. 

Gold and Silver chapters are recognized publicly within the Net Impact network and in their local communities. They will receive special designation in "Business as UNusual," Net Impact's annual publication showcasing how business programs incorporate social and environmental responsibility into their offerings, among other benefits.

Carnegie Mellon's chapter is continuing its momentum for the coming year.  Its president joins 25 other chapters as part of the East Coast Marketing Team focused on the 2012 National Net Impact Conference in Baltimore, Oct. 25-27. 

About Net Impact-:Net Impact is a community of more than 30,000 changemakers using our careers to tackle the world's toughest problems. A San Francisco-based nonprofit with more than 300 chapters worldwide, we provide support, connections, and practical advice to help people in all sectors and job functions create a more just and sustainable future.

About Carnegie Mellon University: Carnegie Mellon (www.cmu.edu) is a private, internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the arts. More than 11,000 students in the university's seven schools and colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. A global university, Carnegie Mellon's main campus in the United States is in Pittsburgh, Pa. It has campuses in California's Silicon Valley and Qatar, and programs in Asia, Australia, Europe and Mexico. The university is in the midst of "Inspire Innovation: The Campaign for Carnegie Mellon University," which aims to build its endowment, support faculty, students and innovative research, and enhance the physical campus with equipment and facility improvements.                                                                      

SOURCE Tepper School of Business