Audrey Miller ‘20, a junior double major in political science and international relations, will be the Hult Prize Campus Director for Syracuse University for the 2018-2019 school year.
Miller, a Syracuse University Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow, will also help coordinate this fall’s campus-wide Impact Prize competition.
Hult Prize is a global initiative to encourage students to create ideas to help solve global issues through social entrepreneurship. It is the world’s biggest engine for the launch of social impact startups emerging from universities around the world. Each year Hult Prize picks a major global problem and challenges students to build teams and offer innovative solutions. As campus director, Miller will spearhead the Syracuse University competition to select students who will move on to regionals in 15 locations around the globe, and the opportunity to accelerate at Hult Castle in London, and compete for a $1 million prize at the United Nations.
Audrey Miller with Hult Prize CEO Ahmad Ashkar
As the Syracuse Hult Campus Director, Miller attended a three-day retreat at the Hult Prize Castle in London this summer where she met other campus directors, entrepreneurs, and previous competitors from around the world. She worked with student colleagues to help create a sustainable business model for expanding the Hult Prize Foundation, and presented, alongside a few team members, to a group of 100 people, including, Hult Prize CEO Ahmad Ashkar.
The three-day Hult Prize retreat focused on networking with other campus directors, as well as learning about the future of the Hult Prize Foundation. Miller had the opportunity to interact with top campus, regional, and national directors around the world. During her time at Hult Castle, she was also able to make connections with other students hoping to make a positive impact on the world.
Audrey says, “Having the opportunity to meet other students who care about changing the world is amazing, but meeting other students who are doing something to change the world is even better.”
The retreat was also a unique opportunity for Miller to live on the grounds of the Hult Castle estate, which was the setting for some Harry Potter films.
As a Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow and student leader, Miller is passionate about social entrepreneurs. “I care about the community and giving back is very important to me,” says Miller. “After working here last spring, I saw how passionate people are about the ideas they are working on. Honestly, there is no other passion like the passion of social entrepreneurs, because you can see how much people care not just about creating their own ventures, but also about helping others, and building community.”
Miller is also working with the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars to coordinate the Syracuse University Impact Prize competition, Thursday, November 15 as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. Funded by $10,000 in prize funding through generous donors to the Syracuse University Libraries, the Impact Prize supports ideas for products, services or technologies that are practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to economic and social problems. The Impact Prize supports student entrepreneurs who are engaged in solving challenges in areas such as energy and the environment, education, community revitalization, poverty and empowerment, healthcare, nutrition and human services
“The Impact Prize is unique because you get to define your community, and be hands to create a solution to solve a problem that’s important to you,” says Miller. “You get to pick the problem that you’re passionate about solving. It is different from the Hult Prize, which is an extraordinary to meet innovators from around the world and work on solutions to some of the biggest and most pressing global challenges.”
Miller not only thinks global, but she acts local. Beyond her work with these prestigious international competitions, she is also president of Thrive@SU, a Syracuse University student organization that works with students to utilize their skills to help local nonprofits. The groups meets each Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the Blackstone LaunchPad in Bird Library. New members are welcome, and if interested, simply come to one of the Friday meetings to learn more and participate.
For more information on the Impact Prize or the Hult Prize, visit the Blackstone LaunchPad in Bird Library or email Miller at amille05@syr.edu.