Cornell students are turning business into a force for good. Six student teams from the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management earned $22,500 in awards during this year’s Grand Challenges Impact Competition, held April 17 in Warren Hall.
Projects tackled local and global issues, from supporting Amazon rainforest restoration to expanding access to music lessons in Ithaca. The event, part of Dyson’s Better Business Week, drew more than 90 students across 25 teams.
Amazon project takes top prize
The top $10,000 award went to a student team that partnered with Siendo Naturaleza, a Peruvian learning center focused on Amazon rainforest restoration. Their solution: help local farmers grow turmeric for herbal tea production—offering both environmental and economic benefits.
“Turmeric can help regenerate soil and improve crop yields while creating new income sources,” said Grace Lin ’26, a team member. The team will donate its prize to support the project’s development in Peru.
Their hands-on fieldwork and community engagement set the project apart, said David Lennox, director of undergraduate studies at Dyson. “This is something that could change the soil—and change employment.”
Music education and food access projects honored
Second place and $5,000 went to a team supporting Opus Ithaca, a nonprofit music school. The team designed a plan to increase scholarship funding for music lessons, citing data showing that music education boosts SAT scores and graduation rates.
“We are grateful not just for the funding, but for drawing attention to this need in our community,” said Opus executive director Andi Merill.
Two teams received $2,500 each:
- Team AstraZeneca addressed a lack of diversity in clinical trials and will donate its award to the Student National Medical Association.
- Team Whirlpool Feel Good Fridge distributed over 70 donated fridges to food banks and shelters and will support Anabel’s Grocery on campus.
Poster winners and future expansion
Two more teams earned $1,250 each in a poster competition:
- Team Sakhimfundo Youth Program highlighted afterschool support in Alexandra, South Africa.
- Team Avocet Health Partners focused on improving prison health care.
Funding from Impact Competition, a national nonprofit supporting student-led social ventures, enabled the expanded prize pool and is also supporting three student internships at participating nonprofits. The foundation has committed $60,000 annually for the next three years to expand the Grand Challenges program.
“This is about planting seeds that will grow,” said Jinhua Zhao, David J. Nolan Dean of the Dyson School. “These students are learning to use business to make the world a better place.”
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