Tulane Team Wins Movers & Changers Competition
Tulane University's WET Tea student team won the "Movers & Changers" competition, a nationwide search for young social entrepreneurs conducted by NYSE Euronext and mtvU. Ms. Shea Kathryne Shelton, a 2009 graduate of Tulane’s BSPH program, was one of three partners on the winning team along with business majors Mr. Jay Zhao and Mr. Nic LaGatta.
The WET Tea business plan envisions buying tea grown in China at fair trade prices. The tea will be prepared in a traditional, organic and environmentally friendly way and then sold at Tulane and throughout the city.
The team will use part of its profits to plant cypress trees in the wetlands and raise awareness of Louisiana's diminishing coast. As winners, WET Tea received a check for $25,000 in start-up funds.
Ms. Shelton was part of the “Katrina class” of BSPH graduates who started the program the year that New Orleans was devastated by flooding. She graduated in May with a global and community health focus.
“I’m now devoting all of my time and energy to WET Tea, making sure the social aspect is what we want it to be,” said Ms. Shelton. She is coordinating volunteers and developing relationships with other nonprofits that will be involved in the planting. Dr. A.J. Englande, professor of environmental health sciences, is a key advisor to this upstart social enterprise.
In addition to the WET Tea team, another Tulane team–SafeSnip–was also among the three finalists.
[Photo: Staffers from MTV interview Tulane social entrepreneurs (seated, from left) Mr. Nic LaGatta, Ms. Kathryne Shelton and Mr. Jay Zhao. Their WET Tea proposal made them finalists. Photo credit: Ms. Sally Asher]
