USC Marshall, Others to Boost Small Firms
Photo/Todd France
The alliance – called USC ImpactLA: The Clinton Foundation-Orfalea Urban Enterprise Initiative – is funded by a $2 million contribution from the Santa Barbara-based Orfalea Family Foundation. It puts the outreach resources of the New York-based Clinton Foundation together with the academic resources of the USC Marshall School to help local small businesses compete in the changing urban marketplace.
“This new partnership represents an extraordinary confluence of talent, vision and values,” said USC President Steven B. Sample.
“Like USC, the Clinton and Orfalea foundations seek both to foster expertise in business and entrepreneurship and to use this knowledge to enhance the community. This initiative will be a boon to USC’s students and faculty and will broaden and deepen our already strong ties with small business owners in our neighborhoods.”
Thomas W. Gilligan, dean of the USC Marshall School of Business, said the joint project marks a new milestone in the relationship between the business school and the surrounding community while also providing undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to join experienced professionals in working side-by-side with the businesses and organizations.
“The University of Southern California and the Marshall School of Business have a long history of engaging with the Los Angeles community,” Gilligan said. “Thanks to the vision and generosity of President Clinton and Paul Orfalea, this relationship promises to be raised to a new and exciting level.”
Stephen Byars, a faculty member in the USC Marshall Center for Management Communication, has been named executive director of the initiative. Byars, selected for his strong leadership and communication skills, will oversee day-to-day operations.
Paul Orfalea, originator of Kinko’s business service centers (now FedEx Kinko’s), is a 1971 graduate of USC and has taught classes on entrepreneurship at the business school. While still in college in 1970, he opened a small storefront copying center on the campus of UC Santa Barbara and built it into a 1,200-branch global business. His unique life challenges and philosophies are showcased in his recent memoir, “Copy This!”
Both Orfalea and his wife, Natalie, have a strong interest in fostering compassion among America’s future leaders. In the course of building Kinko’s into a worldwide chain, Orfalea became aware of the burdens of his employees, including single mothers. His efforts to provide flexible hours and on-site daycare earned Kinko’s citations as “100 Best Companies” to work with by Fortune and Working Mother magazine.
The Orfaleas created the Orfalea Family Foundation in 2000 and have been generous contributors to early care, learning differences and experiential educational causes.
“This alliance will give USC Marshall students an opportunity to work with real entrepreneurs – men and women who have prevailed in the toughest of situations,” Orfalea said. “The students can learn from the business owners, and the businesses and nonprofits will receive valuable consulting.”
After leaving the White House, President Bill Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation to focus on four areas: health security; economic empowerment; leadership development and citizen service; and racial, ethnic and religious reconciliation.
From its headquarters in Harlem, the foundation’s Urban Enterprise Initiative has assisted New York City-based small businesses ranging from restaurants and retail shops to manufacturing and professional services firms.
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