Holly Francescone is an exceptionally motivated student who lives out the motto of Elizabethtown College: "Educate for Service."

The rapid pace of change in the global economy demands innovative leaders attuned to both wider trends and local needs. Ms. Francescone is quickly advancing on this path. She is engaged in collaborative projects with students, faculty, and staff on campus and with community stakeholders that address more socially just approaches to economic development and ecological sustainability.

Ms. Francescone's interest in using business approaches to solve local problems led to her involvement in the College's Social Enterprise Institute. Through the Institute, she is engaged in an economic ecology project that is expected to guide the siting of the new business locations, minimizing ecological impact while helping to maximize economic impact and treating the Susquehanna River as a vital piece of the local ecosystem and economy. Her involvement in this collective, public-private effort is a model for cross-sector engagement that involves both business and stakeholders in the wider community. Her long-term goal is to work in social enterprise ventures that will benefit others around the world by uniting cutting-edge business practices with a commitment to working in close partnership with local community members.