Two Andrew Young School student teams representing Georgia State University joined 36 others from colleges across Georgia to compete in the social business plan portion of the University System of Georgia’s (USG) Social Business and Microcredit Forum. The Public Management and Policy team was one of eight teams recognized, receiving an honorable mention.

Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the "Father of Microcredit,” was keynote speaker at the forum. His work to spur entrepreneurship among the poor inspired the completion, which challenged the students to develop business solutions to pressing local and state issues.

The forum was held at the Georgia Institute of Technology on October 17, 2011. Cathy Yang Liu, an assistant professor in Public Management and Policy, served as faculty advisor for the Andrew Young School teams.

The Public Management and Policy Team was comprised of Aundrea Bailey, graduate assistant (Dean’s Office) and graduate student (Public Management and Policy), Maxwell Bonnie, graduate assistant (Dean’s Office) and graduate student (Public Management and Policy), along with classmate Lauren Lowery, graduate student (Public Management and Policy). They designed a social business, “Fresh Oasis,” that would eliminate “food deserts” – the term for low-income areas with limited access to healthy, affordable food – in metro Atlanta by means of a mobile hybrid truck and bicycle delivery system.

"We wanted to tackle an issue that was for the greater good and to find a solution that could be flexible and implemented in all food deserts across the nation,” says Lowery. "We did not just create this model for a competition. We created Fresh Oasis with the intent for implementation."

Public Management and Policy Team: Bailey (left), Bonnie and Lowery

The Economics Team was comprised of Adam Smith, graduate assistant (Dean’s Office) and graduate student (Economics), Cory Watson, media and technology coordinator (Dean’s Office) and graduate student (Economics), and Urmimala Sen, Ph.D. student (Economics). Their proposal, “Atlanta Street Magazine,” would create a professional, advertising-supported print magazine to be sold on the streets by individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, mental or physical disabilities or addictions. These individuals would be empowered to make a profit as vendors. They would receive job training and help connecting with organizations that serve their needs.

“This business would help keep individuals from having to resort to begging or crime, thereby addressing two of Atlanta's biggest challenges,” says Watson. “We got the idea from ‘The Big Issue Australia social business, which has been a very successful publication.”