Loyola’s 5th annual “Building a Better World Through Business” Series

Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business and Management will present Building a Better World Through Business, an annual series of events celebrating ways that businesses create sustainable economic and social development in their communities. Events in the series will be held virtually and take place on March 3, 10, and 24, 2021. All events are free and open to the public, but registration is required.

“Building a Better World Through Business offers us a chance to recognize and honor the many ways that businesses support and strengthen communities,” said Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D., dean of the Sellinger School. “This year, the events are focused on the role of business in advancing racial justice. The Loyola community—including our students, faculty, and staff—is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to building a just society through innovative and collaborative change in our Baltimore community.”

The event series begins with a keynote address by Marcus Bullock, founder and CEO of Flikshop Inc., a software company that builds tools to assist people who are incarcerated with staying connected to their families and build community. His presentation, “Advancing Equity Through Entrepreneurship: My Journey from Incarceration to Innovation,” on Wednesday, March 3, at noon will discuss his experiences with incarceration, launching his own business, and how he is using entrepreneurship for social change.

While in jail, Bullock’s mother sent him a letter every day, a simple connection to the outside world that was his lifeline. This inspired his creation of Flikshop Inc., which has helped Bullock pay that lifeline forward for hundreds of thousands of others.

Bullock, who is a justice reform advocate and TED speaker, is an inaugural cohort member of Techstars Anywhere 2018 and John Legend’s Unlocked Futures business accelerators. He was selected as one of The Root’s 2019 100 Most Influential African Americans in the United States. He is a member of the Justice Policy Institute’s board of directors, Advisory Board member for Princeton University’s Prison Teaching Initiative, and serves as an advisor to the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business and Aspen Institute’s Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund.

Additional events taking place in March:

“Stronger Together: Advancing Racial Equity and Business Growth”
Wednesday, March 10, at 9 a.m.

While Maryland’s under-40 workforce will soon be majority people of color, race-based barriers continue to limit individual opportunity, stall community progress, and harm our economy. How can a focus on racial equity create sustainable business growth? Join us for a virtual roundtable discussion with employers and advocates about effective strategies for advancing equity in a changing workplace. Following the discussion, stay online for optional networking to connect with colleagues.

“Rising to the Challenge: Building a Better Baltimore”
Wednesday, March 24, at 5 p.m.

In this live virtual competition, students will pitch their ideas in response to the challenge question, “How might the Baltimore business community effectively advance racial equity?” The event will showcase the top teams pitching their ideas which will then be rated by leaders and entrepreneurs in the Baltimore community who will serve as judges. Prize money will be awarded to the top three teams, as well as the team that is selected as the People’s Choice winner—attendees will be able to vote virtually.

To learn more and register for events, visit www.loyola.edu/better-business.

If you are a member of the media and have questions about this story, please contact Molly Robey at mkrobey@loyola.edu.