Entrepreneurship Without Borders – an organization dedicated to improving the way of life for citizens of underdeveloped countries by analyzing their economies, teaching their youth and traveling abroad – is still in its development phase, but an impact has already been made.

During the 2008 spring semester, 21 members and five faculty members traveled to Croatia for their first project.

“We want to have a global impact on the economic development of other countries,” said Mark Paik, president of the organization and senior in Business. “We realize we can’t make a change instantly, but by teaching students abroad about microeconomics, they can change the course of their country within 20 to 40 years.”

The 25-member organization was first started on campus during the fall of 2007.

“We went through business plans, micro-finance projects, and we met with politicians,” Paik said of the Croatian project. “Croatian students and faculty even came to the States and stayed with us to learn more.”

Entrepreneurship Without Borders received funding through organizations within the University such as the European Union Association.

A mentor of the organization, Paul Magelli, senior director for the University’s Academy of Entrepreneurial Leadership, describes the members of the organization as “having a genius to them.”

“I have been a sort of spiritual leader for them, but I wouldn’t take too much credit,” Magelli said. “They are a student-run organization, that makes them that much more special.”

The organization is hoping to expand and create chapters at other universities in the U.S., Paik said. The members plans to revisit Croatia and recreate the curriculum from Croatia in Peru.

“They gave (Croatian students) a sense of hope,” said Magelli. “They’ve even sent them textbooks; it reinforces the faith in a new generation regardless of the criticism they may face.”