Cami Stats

Hometown: Kaysville, UT
College/University Attending: Brigham Young University
Year In School When Selected: Third Year
Program of Study: Major: Human Resources, Minor: Global and Community Impact, Design Thinking

Background

I’m from Kaysville, Utah and I have a passion for social impact and doing good in the world. My family means everything to me as they have stood by me and taught me everything I know. I got involved at the BYU Ballard Center for Social Impact during my first year of college and LOVED seeing how everyone can make a difference.

A few years later I was able to do service work throughout the Czech Republic and Slovakia and did an internship for Cumorah Academy, a school in the Czech Republic, to help Eastern European and Latin American young adult students learn the principles of entrepreneurship to help them reach their life goals. Duke’s New Ideas Competition was such a fun way to mix my love of business and doing good and to meet others who are doing the same.

Summary of New Ideas proposal:

My idea focused on how current businesses can apply a few ideas and principles to make a positive impact on increasing socioeconomic mobility and decreasing polarization in the United States. By applying training and upskilling programs in conjunction with company activities and cross-collaboration, I believe that we can decrease the socioeconomic gap and polarization. A lot of my ideas stem from what I experienced at Cumorah Academy, the classes I have taken at BYU, and some of my favorite books.

At Cumorah, it didn’t matter who you were or where you came from, we all cared about each other. In many of my classes, we looked at and analyzed data that shows the benefit of training and development and how that impacts the potential of people, both in what they are able to accomplish and earn. I believe we have a lot more resources than we claim in business to make a real difference in the world for ourselves and the people around us. I want to help individuals and businesses harness those resources to make the world a better place and lift each other up.

What does the New Ideas Competition mean to you?

The New Ideas Competition for me is a place to collaborate with people from all over who want the same thing: to make the world a better place. It is somewhere where people of all backgrounds can come and learn from one another and lift each other up.

Advice for new applicants:

If you don’t think your idea is good enough, apply anyway. Developing your ideas and thinking about how business can be used as a force for good will impact you throughout your entire career. And who knows, maybe your idea will be the winner. If you want to bounce your ideas off of someone, I know most of us are happy to talk about them! I’d be more than happy to connect with anyone who is thinking of applying. Also, use your resources such as family, friends, faculty and staff at your school, etc. Most want to see you succeed and will help you get there.