Who Are we?
FOUNDED IN 2008, ETL IS A NON-PROFIT, STUDENT-FOUNDED, STUDENT-RUN VENTURE THAT CREATES SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILMS FOCUSED ON UNDER-REPORTED GLOBAL SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES.
OUR MISSION
THROUGH THE CREATION OF ANNUAL DOCUMENTARIES, ETL FOSTERS DISCUSSION ON GLOBAL ISSUES.
By applying these documentaries as vehicles for positive social change, ETL inspires and empowers students, faculty, alumni and the greater community to work for improved social justice at home and abroad.
OUR VISION
ETL ENVISIONS A WORLD WHERE EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS THE FREEDOM, CONFIDENCE, AND SOCIETAL SUPPORT TO ADDRESS ANY SOCIAL ISSUE AND ENCOURAGE CHANGE.
By empowering students and viewers to address and discuss social change, we can inspire communities together.
Our Impact
"Extending the Link has given me the cultural intelligence to come at global problems, issues, and opportunities with a different shed of light, with a different understanding that the world is not an equal or level playing field."
Andrea Carrow, ETL Co-Founder
Our Origin Story
ETL was created in 2007 by Andrea (Carrow) Morsching as her CSBSJU E-Scholar venture. While on a semester abroad program in Guatemala, several Bennies and Johnnies volunteered with a local Fair Trade coffee organization. These students saw firsthand the importance, both socially and economically, of fair-trade coffee in their study abroad community. Upon returning home to their campus, a group of Bennies and Johnnies (Adam Spooner, Brian Essling, Nate Ptacek, Andrew Vavera, Fernando Galleano, Andrea (Carrow) Morsching, and David Slifka) became advocates of fair-trade coffee and began planning their return trip to Guatemala; this time with a passion and desire to spread the importance of fair-trade coffee back to their local Minnesota community. Albeit this group did not know it at the time, this pilot documentary would be foundation for the ETL venture.