| Joshua Furnas | |
| School: | Albany Great Danes |
| Currentnumber: | 2 |
| Currentposition: | Wide receiver |
| Class: | Graduated 2007 |
| Major: | Business |
| Birth Date: | 16 December 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Elmira, NY |
| Heightft: | 6 |
| Heightin: | 1 |
| Weight: | 200 |
| Pastschools: |
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Joshua Furnas (born December 16, 1984) is a former American football player, social advocate, and co-founder of Selfless Tee.[1]
Furnas was born in Elmira, New York and attended high school at Elmira Free Academy. Furnas was a three-year starter on both the varsity football and baseball teams. In 2003, Furnas was also awarded "Twin Tiers Defensive Player of the year" by the Elmira Star-Gazette.[2] Furnas was also a co-recipient of EFA's Male Athlete of the Year award.
Furnas played four seasons at University at Albany, SUNY.[3] He missed the entire 2003 and 2004 seasons due to injury; he was granted a medical red shirt his first year. In 2005, Josh hauled in seven catches for 101 yards.[4] In 2006, Josh's final season, he caught seven passes for 90 yards and one touchdown.[5] Josh's lone touchdown was against the then nationally ranked University of Delaware Blue Hens.
In 2007, Furnas graduated from Albany with a degree in business. Furnas spent the next few years as general manager of the Big Moose Deli & Country Store in Hoosick, New York.[6] Furnas, along with former Albany teammate Danny Bocanegra, co-founded Selfless Tee.[7] Selfless Tee is a for-profit organization geared toward making "fashionable clothing with a social conscience."[8]
In March 2010, Selfless Tee was awarded a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Project.[9]
In January 2013, Furnas was featured in a San Francisco Chronicle news article about young entrepreneurs living in pop-up rentals. Furnas pays to rent a living room closet in a Bayview house of an Ecuadorian family of 7.[10]
Furnas is a sufferer and well known awareness advocate of 'Hatred of Sound' Disorder, Misophonia.[11] On May 18, 2012 Furnas was featured on ABC's news magazine television show, 20/20,[12] openly speaking about his battle with misophonia.
In 2012, Furnas began participating in independently organized TEDx events promoting his ideas for social innovation.[13]
On November 10, 2012, Furnas was featured at TEDx Chemung River in New York.[14] The topic which Furnas spoke of was "The Art of the Tee: Fashioning a Better World".[15]