Harvard Law School: the dream of Vietnamese parents around the world.

Doctor, lawyer, engineer: the three dream jobs every Vietnamese parent has for their children. Today, I’m going to talk about lawyers, and specifically the long path towards it that begins right about now for many students across the nation.

The great thing about law school is that, unlike being a doctor or a lawyer, it doesn’t require any specialized undergraduate degree. Sure, there’s a ton of poli-sci majors that tend to go into law school, but to actually get into law school, all you need is a degree, any degree. So for those of us who failed in the first two paths to our parents’ approval, there’s always law school.

There are of course some major problems with a profession that allows pretty much anybody to enter into it, over-lawyering being one of them, but I’ll address that next time. For now, all you 3^rd year undergrads who just decided that medicine or engineering isn’t for you, take heart because you can still apply for law school! In fact, if hard science degrees tend to be valued more at most law schools and can give you a relative GPA boost. And once you’re in law school, a science degree is a key to getting coveted IP and technology law-related jobs.

So what can you start doing right now to get into law school? Start studying for the LSAT. Doing well on the LSAT is the single most important thing anybody can do to get into a good law school. The LSAT is the universal law school admissions test and is a test of logic. Despite popular belief you are not tested on law, just your logical reasoning and analysis. That’s why it doesn’t really matter what major you are, though philosophy major and those with a strong math background tend to do well on the LSAT because of how much those subjects emphasize logical thinking.

The LSAT is administered several times a year, with the most popular test time being in late September. It’s a good idea to take the June LSAT, however, because it gives you the summer to prepare the rest of your application and possibly three more chances to retake the LSAT (September, December and February) if you don’t do as well as you’d like. The LSAT is graded from 120-180, with the average score around 151. Law schools vary in how much weight the put into an applicant’s LSAT score but, generally top law schools have a 75% LSAT score of 166 and up, or roughly within the 94% percentile of test takers.

Your junior year college grades are usually the last grades a law school will see for those of you who want to go straight into law school after college. You’ll apply in the fall and find out if you’re accepted in spring of your senior year, possibly supplementing your fall grades if requested. A “good” GPA is hard to determine as it naturally varies across majors and schools. Hard science majors tend to be considered more difficult and valued more, while popular “easy” majors valued less. Most top law schools, however, have a 75% GPA of around 3.75.

So take the LSAT, do well your last semester/quarter and, most of all, APPLY EARLY! Law schools start accepting applications around October, some even earlier. The actual deadline may be far away in late spring, but applications are considered on a rolling basis and by then most available spots will have been filled up. So apply early when room is plentiful and admissions officials are a little more free with their hand in admitting students.

Finally, one last piece of advice: emphasize diversity! Almost every law school in the nation at least pretends to value diversity in the classroom and considers it in their applications. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean race but can be anything from socio-economic background, worldly experience, or interesting talents and hobbies. Whatever it is that sets you apart and makes you unique, make sure to emphasize it in your personal statement! Law school can be a brutally cold and dreary experience, not to mention a mind-numbing subject, and law schools try hard to stimulate and liven their classrooms and halls by bringing in truly interesting students.

So c’mon Vietnamese prospective law-students who spent time saving babies in Vietnam and volunteering for OneVietnam Network… get into law school!

Or med school.

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This is the first of a series of “Graduate School” articles.  Stay tune!

As I was contemplating on whether I should go abroad to get an advanced college degree, I was asking myself a question: what if a native Vietnamese person wants to study abroad? where do they start?

I started ‘googling’ with the keyword ‘du hoc my’ for an answer and I found tons of services and I did not know which to pick from. I then turned to a friend who’s currently studying abroad in University of Central Oklahoma for a quick answer. And here is the bits of knowledge that I’ve gathered so far:

1. Go to a study abroad agency for initial advising:

- Price: $300-$800

- Service: Provide schools’ informations, review students’ grades, and recommend the schools

- Requirements for the students:

+ Qualified TOEFL  or IELTS scores,

+ Financial Statement that can cover the expense for 2 yeares

+ Copy of Passport

+ Copy of all diplomas

+ Filled application

- Time until receive letter of acceptance, if accepted: 3 months

2. Apply for a Visa:

- Cost: Advising Agency offer mock interview for $800

- Requirement:

+ I-20 form (comes with acceptance letter)

+ Proof of intention to return to Vietnam upon the completion of the degree

- Time frame: 1 week

So this is all just paper work. After completing this, the students can start finding housing and prepare for the rest of the complicated process of living alone in the foreign country.

I also inquired my friend a couple related questions:

1. What are the benefits of studying abroad?

-Studying abroad is a current trend in Vietnam. There are international universities in Vietnam, but the quality of education is not up to par with foreign schools. In the schools with many Vietnamese students, the students do not speak English as well. Regarding the benefits, if one holds a foreign degree, they can earn a higher than average wage in Vietnam that allows them to live comfortably.

2. What about international high school?

-There are some international high schools that are tailored to the children of foreigners. The cost of attendance is high however (about $13,000/year). The school is sponsored by many international organization (including Cambridge University) and offer International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.

3. Given 2 job identical opportunities (same type of work, same level of salary), but one in Vietnam, one in a foreign country, which would you choose?

-Vietnam.

4. Given 2 identical universities, but one in Vietnam, one in a foreign country, which would you choose?

-Not Vietnam

5. What some of the popular majors?

-Business and Engineering. Nothing relate to medical field because people usually do not want to return to Vietnam once they have obtained a medical degree.

I hope the readers can find this article somewhat eye-opening, but again, the answers only come out of one sample students. I wonders if there are large surveys out there that can give us a better estimate of the studying abroad trend in Vietnam

The following list includes some of the popular online job boards with responsibilities varying from driving a car to teaching to managing a regional office.

• VietnamWorks: VietnamWorks is one of the largest job boards in Vietnam, containing nearly 5,000 job opportunities listed by over 3,000 companies. It boasts 260,000 registered users and more than 12,000 visitors per day. Jobs remain on the website for 30 days and are organized by industry, function and level of experience. The website and each job’s general information can be viewed in either English or Vietnamese, but any detailed information about the job provided in either Vietnamese or English are not translated. Interested parties can register for an account, access career development readings, upload resumes, save job searches and apply via the website.
• CareerLink: CareerLink contains over 6,000 job opportunities, which significantly outnumbers that of VietnamWorks because it keeps listings on the job board for up to 60 days. The website is featured in Vietnamese, English and Japanese, although detailed information are not translated when the language being viewed is switched. CareerLink, like VietnamWorks, provides additional readings on career development, but the reading list appears to have been last updated in 2008.
• Faro: Faro is an international staffing firm that was established in 1981 in Japan and expanded into Vietnam in 2006. It provides executive search and temporary staffing services as well as other human resource services. The website contains nearly 200 job opportunities focused primarily on the managerial level and geared towards candidates with advanced education or extensive experience.
• Careerjet: Careerjet is a catch-all job search engine that pulls job listings from company websites and online recruiting agencies, and encompasses over 50 countries. The search engine does not organize jobs into categories like VietnamWorks or CareerLink, so a job search is as good as the description and location entered into the search fields. For example, when searching broadly for jobs located in Vietnam, the engine returns over 16,000 opportunities.
• Tuoi Tre and Lao Dong: Besides the aforementioned websites, online Vietnamese news such as Tuoi Tre and Lao Dong also feature numerous opportunities.

While browsing through these job boards, remember that companies may employ other methods for relaying new opportunities prior to posting on public job boards. When looking for less experienced candidates graduating from colleges or universities, companies can tap into on-campus career centers and career fairs. As companies seek to fill more senior level positions, they may rely more on headhunters and informal networks. Therefore, it is important to keep a strong network of contacts, because you never know when you need others’ assistance.

If you know of other popular job boards out there, please share with us!

In a New Orleans neighborhood called Versailles, a tight-knit group of Vietnamese Americans overcame obstacles to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, only to have their homes threatened by a new government-imposed toxic landfill.  A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is the empowering story of how the Versailles people, who have already suffered so much in their lifetime, turn a devastating disaster into a catalyst for change and a chance for a better future.

A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is the definition of community.  It’s an inspiring story about bridging generationsand cultures and finding your voice as Vietnamese Americans. This moving documentary is proof that our community can stand together and triumph over tragedy.

A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is an official selection for the 2010 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), which opens tonight and runs through March 21.  For tickets and more information, please visit the festival’s website or click here for an overview of SFIAAFF from my last post.

Screening #1

WHEN: Sat 3/13 @ 2:15 pm

WHERE: Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, 1881 Post St @ Fillmore, SF

Screening #2

WHEN: Tue 3/16 @ 9 pm

WHERE: VIZ Cinema, 1746 Post St @ Webster, SF

Screening #3 – SAN JOSE

WHEN: Sat 3/20 @ 5:30 pm

WHERE: Camera 12 Cinema, 201 S. 2nd St @ San Carlos, San Jose

Director S. Leo Chiang and Associate Producers Brittney Shepherd & Eva Moss to attend.

Protestors line up outside of New Orleans City Hall to protest the shutting down of a toxic landfill in their neighborhood, 2006. Photo Credit: James Dien Bui

Versailles elderly gardener takes a moment away from her work, 2006. Photo Credit: Lucas Foglia

Young Versailles community member participates in protest to shut down the Chef Menteur Highway Landfill, 2006. Photo Credit: James Dien Bui

Every country has at least one signature dish that is recognizable by many. Anything from Pad Thai to Spanish paella to Indian curry, signature dishes are exemplary of a country’s rich cultural history. Vietnam’s signature dish is Pho.

This Vietnamese noodle soup is so delicious that even Anthony Bourdain loves it.  During his Vietnam special on the Travel Channel’s culinary and cultural program  Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, he screams out with desire, “LET IT BE MINE!” as he sees the bowl of pho come to him.  He jokingly comments that he would “jerk a butter knife across his best friend’s throat” just for the bowl of pho.  The video is hilariously made with seductive music in the background, reminiscent of music you can find in a pornographic movie.  Watching him eat and describe pho make me salivate with desire!  Definitely some good food porn!

The History of Pho

Delicious Pho, Source: http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/phovietnam

Pho is said to have originated in Northern Vietnam around the late 1880’s. Exact details are uncertain, but several accounts claim that pho came about after the French colonization of the country. Prior to this, it was said that cows were used for labor, not for food. When the French arrived, they started cooking with red meat. Being resourceful, the Vietnamese took the bones that the French chefs discarded and created a rich, flavorful broth, to which rice noodles and slices of beef were added for sustenance. This simple dish became known as pho.

Amid warfare and Communist rule, the people of Northern Vietnam fled to the South. It was here that this simple dish evolved into a version that we have all become familiar with. Fragrant spices such as cinnamon and star anise were added. The beef noodle soup of the South was served with a plate of fresh herb garnishes, bean sprouts, and lime.

Many of the Vietnamese people fled to the United States after the Fall of Saigon. They brought with them an arsenal of recipes, including pho. Many pho restaurants sprung up around the early 1980’s. Over time, the pho recipes were adapted to western palettes, but the basis of this dish remained consistent: a clear beef broth, chewy rice noodles, various cuts of beef and beef parts, and fresh herbs for garnish.

Variations of Pho

Pho Ga (Chicken), Source: http://www.lovingpho.com

Other variations of pho can be found all over the world. Pho ga, or chicken noodle soup, is a popular version that can be found in almost every pho restaurant. Lesser known versions include pho ca, fish noodle soup, or pho do bien, seafood noodle soup.

The Koreans also have their own version of pho, which is served with a side of Kimchi and pickled onions.

Pho Trends in the United States

Having grown up in Orange County, home to California’s Little Saigon, I’ve seen the different food trends made popular by the Vietnamese community. From the banh mi craze to the boba phase, pho is becoming a mainstream phenomenon, especially among the non- Vietnamese community. Its recent increase in popularity has given rise to many new pho restaurants in the area.

Now the latest visible trend seems to be the rise in price wars among existing restaurants. Bright yellow banners advertising 50% OFF PHO BO can be seen hung in front of a restaurant directly across the street from another restaurant, whose banner reads 50% OFF PHO GA.

Fierce price competition is beneficial for both my wallet and my tummy. For about $3.00, I can tease my senses and delight my appetite with a delicious, steaming hot bowl of Pho Dac Biet. For those with a bigger appetite, you can get a Pho “Xe Lua”, “train ” size, for less than a dollar more. *

Because this satisfying meal is light on the wallet, it is particularly popular among high school and college students. Certain restaurants even open 24 hours. Nothing beats a 2 a.m. pho run after a long, stressful night of studying for finals. Those were the days! It is also becoming a popular hang out spot for crowds returning from a night of clubbing.

Given the America’s current economic situation, I hope these price specials are here to stay!

The Pho Challenge

If a Pho Xe Lua isn’t enough to fill you up, a bigger size does exist! If you’re up for the challenge, San Francisco’s Pho Garden offers a gigantic bowl of pho filled with two pounds of noodles and two pounds of beef swimming in a sea of broth. Finish it in an hour and your meal is on the house. Also, your picture goes on the wall of fame, and most importantly, you get major bragging rights!

Pictures Taken from Pho Garden’s Facebook Fan Page:

Demonstration of the size of the Pho Challenge Bowl

Stunned Competitor of the Pho Challenge

Failing the Pho Challenge

Proud Winner of Pho Challenge who is now part of the the Hall of Fame

Sources:

1. http://www.lovingpho.com/pho-opinion-editorial/history-and-evolution-of-vietnamese-pho/

2. http://www.phogardensf.com

3. http://kyspeaks.com/

4. http://www.lovingpho.com

While many of us are working to our last drop of sweat to deal with this stinky economy, these people have gone an extra mile to continue their hard work in building bridges for free.  Their purpose?  It’s simply that they want the children to go to school in a shorter distance.  They want the old poor people to walk in a safer pavement rather than a broken tree trunk.  They want to enhance the living of thousand people who do not have the same opportunities as those living in the urban areas.  Their purpose is simple but it makes my heart weeps in happiness and admiration.

The group was founded by Mr. Cong Nguyen, a kind hearted Viet Kieu from France.  All he wanted to do was to help the poors in his home country and improve their lives.  He was able to gather a lot of team members from different parts of the world.  The group comprises of many experienced professionals and engineers, which helps the planning and building of their projects efficiently and cost effective.  At the beginning, the group was clueless about what to do to improve the lives of thousands and million people living in poverty.  Money, food, clothes, and other donated goods will deplete soon or later.  The idea of infrastructure developement finally came to their mind with the rationality that these constructions would last for a long time and significantly improve the lives of every resident in general.  Building bridges had been the major project of the group, but the group also built foster homes, public restrooms, and farm dams.

Group VK - The Heros In Many People Heart (Photo By: Vu Le)

According to Mr. Cong Nguyen, the next step would be lending 50% of the cost to the local without interest, the other 50% will be given by the group as a gift.  When the project completed, the group will collect 50% of the cost back to lend to other locals.  With this new strategy, it is believed that more projects will be done and more lives will be improved in a shorter period of time.  A great example of an efficient philanthropic operation, which is something that OneVietnam Network is thriving to achieve in a greater scale.

We would love to be in touch with this wonderful group of people.  If you have any contact information regarding to the VK group member, please contact me or any of our team members.  Together, we all will make Vietnam a better place to live!

Harvard Widener Library, Source: http://flickr.com/photo/78852958@N00/1524179678

If you’re Asian, more often than not, you’ve probably heard the phrases “Don’t end up working in a nail salon!, “Get into college!” “Be a doctor!”, or something to that effect. College is on the minds of many students and worried parents. From the time a child speaks his first words to the age of 18, this topic probably arises thousands of times. To address these issues, I want to dedicate a series of my blog posts to the topic of colleges: the path to top universities in the nation, the personal challenges, the rewards, and how to succeed in an academic environment.

Today’s blog post will summarize some of the topics. Stay tune for other articles which will focus more in depth on the college application process and the college experience!

Everyone’s experience and path to college is different, but I hope that my “Ivy Walls” series can clear up some ambiguities and questions about America’s Elite Universities.

Harvard Graduation 2009

My Story in a Nutshell

Getting into my top choice college undoubtedly took a lot of hard work and dedication to my studies. I do not claim to be an expert at anything because life is long, success is perseverance, and luck plays a major factor in all areas of life. I merely hope that the stories and advice I share through my series of posts will help you as you apply to your top choice college.

The Path to the Top Universities

Palm Drive, the path leading into Stanford University, Source: http://www.stanford.edu

Getting into these top universities is not impossible, but it does require dedication.

So is it all about the stats and scores? The answer is yes and no. Yes because you should have the bar level stats. No because stats will not be the only thing that will get you that big envelope in April.

So what does it take?  PASSION!  I was driven by passion. Passion for what I’m doing. Passion to help others. Passion to better my life and help my family. Passion to give back to my community. Passion to learn.

If you do things just for the sake of getting into colleges, then admission committees can see through your lack-luster efforts right away. However, if you do things because you like to and give your all to what you’re doing, everything will work out in the end.

So study hard, work hard, do what you’re passionate about, be dedicated, and everything will fall into place.

The Top Universities

Be it Harvard or other Ivy Leagues, Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Berkeley, etc., many students set their sight these

Columbia University Library, Source: Picture taken by me

schools.

These schools are amazing because they open many doors for you and teach you things beyond your imagination.  However, you have to understand that education is what you make of it.  Anyone can screw up if they don’t know how to capitalize on the opportunities presented to them.

The experiences and opportunities available at these institutions introduce you to many other venues.  They allow you to travel abroad, to do funded research, to spend Holiday breaks in internships, and much more!  These colleges give you exposure to different fields that you never knew existed. They allow you to see your potential. They push you to your limits. However, they can only do these things if you make the most of them.

Less well-known universities also have these opportunities, but sometimes they’re harder to come by and you have to actively search for them. Top private institutions and highly ranked public universities have a better developed network of alumni and more resources that can help students in their endeavors into whatever field interests them most.

The Challenges and Rewards

Annenberg Dining Hall at Harvard, Source: www.fas.harvard.edu/~memhall/annenberg.html

If you want to attend a top institution, you have to be prepared to compete with top students. Adapting to mediocrity may be challenging for students who are used to being at the top of their class.   Furthermore, you may be lost in the myriads of opportunities.  It is hard to know what you want to do when all the opportunities are new and exciting.  However, again, diligence and dedication will make it possible to succeed.

The rewards are plentiful.  You get to learn from people who have changed the world.  You get to be part of history.  Your family will be happy that you are doing well. You will be happy that all your hard-work during high school paid off. There is nothing better than the gratification you get from a job well done.

Isabella’s Comments:

So to sum up this summary article, college is something that many young students strive for, and attending these universities can really change your life.   Check back in two weeks for my next article entitled, “Ivy Walls: How to get into Harvard and America’s Best Colleges.”

Until then, browse our blog to see if there are any topics or opportunities that interest you.  Taking part in any of these activities can broaden your horizons and make you a more diverse candidate for colleges.

Comment below if you have any questions for me, and tell me if there are any topics on which you want me to particularly focus.

Operation Reunite brings over 40 Amerasians together in Saigon.

This April, over 40 Amerasians are returning to Saigon for the first time since they left at the end of the conflict in Vietnam 35 years ago. For many of them, the departure was dramatic—part of the hastily-assembled Operation Babylift that successfully evacuated over ,3000 Vietnamese orphans from war-torn Vietnam to the United States, Australia, Canada, and Europe.

Now, with the help of Operation Reunite, these adoptees are returning to the land of their birth for the first time to learn more about the country they came from. The culmination of over a year of planning, Operation Reunite’s April Reunion Tour will guide the adoptees to a better understanding of Vietnam. The tour includes staple tourist-activities such as a Mekong Delta tour and drinks at the Rex Hotel to more personal moments like the a visit to the crash site of the first C5 plane to leave Vietnam during Operation Babylift. Some of the adoptees are survivors of that very crash.

The ultimate goal, though, is to help the adoptees reach a deeper understanding of the people and culture that they came from. Language classes, visits to orphanages, and a soccer scrimmage with Vietnamese students are planned for that very reason. The most important factor, however, is in the drive of the adoptees themselves to reach out to this forgotten part of their past.

When you talk to Trista Goldberg, Operation Reunite’s founder and herself an Amerasian adoptee, you can easily feel her passion and drive for what she is doing. “I am very excited to see how many Vietnamese adoptees are coming together for this momentous reunion in Vietnam,” she says. Trista herself struggled to find her own reunion years ago. Born Nguyen Thi Thu in 1970, Trista left the country in 1974 and was raised an American girl. When she received her adoption file from her adoptive mother at the age of 25, however, she began her long emotional journey to learn about her past. She took Vietnamese courses and found her biological relatives, eventually having a reunion with them in Hawaii in 2001. Now 39, Trista is helping others start down that path with Operation Reunite.

When asked what she hopes to accomplish, Trista simply says that she “hope[s] everyone is able to walk away from the experience with a sense of love and respect for their homeland.” Thirty-five years after Operation Babylift, Trista and Operation Reunite bring some of those same Amerasian adoptees full circle. I invite those of us who will be in Saigon this April to come out and help welcome them back.

Operation Reunite: http://operationreunite.org/

Contact: phong.quan@onevietnam.org

pictures from: thenonconsumeradvocate.com

“Are men smarter than women?” It seems time has quickly changed, and the more popular question asked now is: “Are women smarter than men?” A quick Google search on “Are women…” will immediately result in millions of sites offering a wide variety of answers.

What do I believe? I believe what I see. In high school, the top performers in my AP classes were all female. Outside of class? They dominated many of the clubs on campus. At UC Irvine, it seemed like the women were more frequently at the top of the bell curve. At Harvard, women play a huge role in research and leadership. The president of Harvard University is a woman.

British researcher and professor of psychology at the University of College, London analyzed some 30 studies to show that men and women are fairly equal overall in terms of IQ. (Newsweek Report 2008). How do these trends hold up in the job market?

Girl Power-house in the US (Entrepreneur, March 2010)

The recession has been bad news for many as unemployment rates remain high. But for the first time in history, the male unemployment rate topped the female unemployment rate. December statistics show that 10.2% of men were unemployed versus 8.2% of women. At the peak of the recession, 82% of the employees laid off were men.

Surprised? Read on…

Women are positioned to soon become the majority of the work force. They start businesses at twice the rate of men. The Center for Women’s Business Research reports that the current economic impact of women-owned firms equal $3 trillion and these firms employ 16% of all U.S. workers–a number that’s expected to rise when the economy recovers.

Convinced? Read on…

A study by Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute, women-led companies will generate as many as 5.5 million new jobs in the US by 2018. Institute director Mark Wolf states,”[Women] are more intense about paying employees well and providing better healthcare”.

The Landscape in Vietnam?

A report by the organization, Onlinewomeninpolitics.com, states that the status and position of women in Vietnam have improved significantly in the last half century. In 1992, women had a high degree of literacy (84% vs. 93% for men). In 2002, the Vietnam Women’s Union, a satellite organization of the Vietnam Communist Party, published statistics that claim women represented 59.2% of all healthcare workers, 70.1% of employees in education and training sector, and 34.7% in show business and sports. The report also states that 43.7% of university graduates and 24.5% of post-graduates are women (Vietquoc.com)

Is the social landscape really changing? Are women receiving equal opportunities as men? Are you surprised by the statistics?

image belongs to philanthropy.com

Richest man in the world spent it on…

Ten billion is one of those numbers that’s simply too big for our human brain to grasp. The truth of the matter is, not many people alive have the privilege of sitting down to think of how to spend $10 billion. You would have to be the richest man alive to have that problem, right? Absolutely. That man is Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.

This year, Bill Gates committed $10 billion to help develop and distribute vaccines in developing nations. Mr. Gates believes that better health can be a catalyst for more wide-ranging improvements in the world’s poorest countries. He explains his cause here.

How other experts would spend it

Imagine if you had $10 billion to further a cause–What would it be? The Wall Street Journal asked several prominent philanthropists for their ideas. Below are a few ideas from the article:

Percy Barnevik, Hand in Hand International: Stimulate job creation. It costs $200 to create a single job in a developing country. By investing in training and coaching, that $200 has the potential help a poor person earn $2,000 a year for the rest of their lives.

Mo Ibrahim, Mo Ibrahim Foundation: Create a statistics office in Africa. Having reliable data can help improve the decisions of policy makers, investors, and philanthropic organizations.

Nic Frances, Cool nrg: Develop toilets that capture methane to use as fuel. The technology would earn carbon credits by capturing the gas and secondly, use it as a fuel. This provides an economic incentive for companies to provide low-cost sanitation and fuel to much of Africa.

Ronald Cohen, Apax Partners: Create social-investment banks that lend money to social enterprises and allow people to invest in social projects.

Dr. Judith Rodin, Rockefeller Foundation: Discover the “next big thing.” Harness talent and resources to find new answers to big problems. One way to do that is invest in “networks that connect entities across disciplines and sectors, assuring that successful local innovations are more widely adopted.”

How I would spend it…

Personally, I love Dr. Rodin’s idea. I think investing in an organization that networks people and organizations to foster innovation and collaboration is a great idea! Then again, I’m a little biased, *wink.

In all seriousness, I agree that the solution does not lie in a single idea, but rather in our collective willingness to solve the world’s problems. It doesn’t matter if you are the world’s richest man or an ordinary Joe–there’s capacity inside all of us to do something. To harness that capacity, we need to connect, share ideas, and organize to take action. With today’s technology, we can all become global citizens.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes. It summarizes well why we do what we do here:

The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems. – Mohandas Gandhi
—
CNN feature on Gates’ Astronomical Donation