Rustandy Center

On March 31, you’re invited to participate in #UChicagoGivingDay, a 24-hour generosity initiative encouraging our community to give back. Will you support #socialimpact at the Rustandy Center to unlock funding for research and programs? Give today >> ms.spr.ly/6018QWA66

We are thrilled to announce that 20 mission-driven University of Chicago teams have advanced to Phase II of the 2026 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (Edwardson SNVC). Learn more about the student-led social ventures >> ms.spr.ly/6014QRpkG

The 2024-25 academic year was another year of success, growth, connection, and impact. Here are some of our favorite moments from our Year in Review. We are excited to share the highlights of another impactful year at the Rustandy Center. Thank you for your continued support!

As part of the Rustandy Center’s Civic Chicago program, Booth students spent the afternoon touring the Green Era Campus, a nine-acre former brownfield that was transformed into an organic waste facility that processes 55 million tons annually into compost and natural gas.

Community, connection, and donuts were the themes of the night for a group of Rustandy Center Golub Capital Board Fellows who attended a performance of Superior Donuts, put on by Golub Capital Board Fellows nonprofit partner the Artistic Home.

The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation presented the Best Social Impact Product award and $1k to Tanda—a fintech product that brings older generations into the digital age—at BoothHacks, Booth’s first-ever hackathon. Thank you to everyone who supported the event.

Kwema is addressing workplace violence against frontline workers in healthcare. The safety technology company is the fifth company in the student-managed Steven Tarrson Impact Investment Fund’s portfolio. ms.spr.ly/6011tTTkH

Moxi is a tech-enabled platform that offers membership-based childcare centers and blends high-quality care with coworking and wellness amenities, and is the fourth company in the student-managed Steven Tarrson Impact Investment Fund’s portfolio. ms.spr.ly/6014triUE

Eric Weinheimer, MBA ’94, senior vice president and philanthropic strategist at Bank of America Private Bank, shared insights from the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy and strategies nonprofits can employ to more effectively reach affluent donors.

At the Rustandy Center’s Perspectives on Sustainability event, Gabriel Presler, MBA/MPP ’05, global head of enterprise sustainability for Morningstar, discussed the strategy behind Morningstar’s Corporate Sustainability Report, how Booth students can drive real impact, and more.

The Rustandy Center kicked off our 2025-26 Golub Capital Board Fellows Program with an introductory breakfast, welcoming students, board directors, and nonprofit leaders to connect, share ideas, and set goals for the exciting six months ahead.

Prateek Raj broke down his five rules from his new book Atypical: Five Strategy Rules for a New World. He highlights empathy, relationship building, innovation, and the exploration of atypical sources as the keys to successful leadership in an evolving world.

Co-hosted with @RustandyCenter, this conference convenes researchers across economics, sociology, law, behavioral science, healthcare, and AI to advance dialogue on discrimination. Organizers: Marianne Bertrand, Alex Imas, Conrad Miller & Pietro Veronesi.

Service has been a theme in the career of Ben Backsmeier, MBA ’24—first as an active-duty officer in the Army, and now as chairman of Orion Military Scholars, a nonprofit that supports military families. Read more about his passion for helping others. ms.spr.ly/6011tMBeX

Thank you to everyone who attended The Rustandy Center’s Civic Chicago South Side bike tour. Students had the opportunity to bike around and explore Chicago's historic South Side and learn about the economic and social history of the neighborhood.

Congratulations to biotech startup Exactics—winner of the Rustandy Center’s John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge 2025 for receiving $250K from early-stage investment fund Tulane Ventures. Learn more: ms.spr.ly/6012tJDnw

Introducing the 2025 Tarrson Fellows. Get to know the startups that are tackling pressing social or environmental challenges, from empowering women vendors in Kenya to accelerating volunteerism among young professionals. Click the link to learn more: ms.spr.ly/6018tBvu8

Congratulations to this year’s winners of the 12th Annual South Side Pitch. We were proud to name ChiBrations as the recipient of this year’s Rustandy Center Social Impact Award. ChiBrations is an app centralizing performing artists around Greater Chicago.

The Steven Tarrson Impact Investment Fund is expanding its portfolio with two new investments: Kwema, a safety technology company that protects against workplace violence, & Moxi Childcare, a platform offering membership-based childcare centers. Learn more:ms.spr.ly/6018t6G2A

Congratulations to Sudhanshu Kaushik, Lorenza Ramirez, MBA ’25, and Puja Tripuraneni, who were selected for the 2025–26 Obama Foundation Leaders USA program. Read more about the 2025–26 Obama Foundation Leaders cohort: ms.spr.ly/6016sh9o2