In July, GCSEN was proud to present a white paper at the 27th Annual IAJBS (International Association of Jesuit Business Schools) World Forum / 2022 CJBE Annual Meeting at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. Our presenters got to the main stage, presenting our ideas to deans, faculty, administrators and policy leaders from 200 Jesuit business schools worldwide.
The theme of the conference was The Future of Work and the Common Good, and our paper, Exploring Social Venture Creation to Enhance Career ROI, was a perfect fit. The paper explores the question: How does a student's experience of taking one or more social entrepreneurship classes affect their future career trajectory? As Dr. Mary Kate Naatus says in the abstract, "Beyond the direct effect of strengthening future entrepreneurs’ abilities to launch and grow their own businesses, social entrepreneurship programs, particularly those with impactful experiential content, provide valuable training for the broader career spectrum across industries in all types of organizations. "
Interspersed with academic data throughout the paper are quotes and stories from GCSEN graduates. Gyana Srivastava, Wheaton ‘21 said, "For me, GCSEN shared the importance of focusing on my passion and the continuous growth of ideas, something I’ve tried to prioritize in my life post-graduation."
Our presenters included four of the paper's seven authors,
- Professor Mike Caslin, CEO/Founder GCSEN and MBA Professor for LeMoyne College
- Dr. Dennis Hanno, President Emeritus of Wheaton College, MA
- Dr. Mary Kate Naatus, Chair of Business Administration, St. Peter's University, NJ
- Dr. Imram Chowdury, Diana Davis Spencer Chair of Social Entrepreneurship, Associate Professor of Business and Management, Wheaton College, MA
Some of our favorite quotes from the paper were from students in our recent MBA class at the Madden School of Business at LeMoyne College in Syracuse:
“I used to imagine myself as an individual that would graduate and secure a corporate job. However, as I expand my knowledge I am starting to realize that this plan does not align with who I am and why I am. The one thing I have been sure of since youth is that whatever venture I pursue I want to make a difference… The pressure I felt to pursue a corporate job has been lifted. However, this course has [to] lead me to believe that I can gain professional experience and start my own business venture on the side until I am ready to commit more time… I am confident that I want to become a social entrepreneur. ” - P.G.G.
“Prior to taking this course I used to be worried about what people would think of me starting my own butcher shop. Since taking this course I have realized that it is not about what people think of you but more about what you want for your life. If you have a passion for something no-one’s opinion should ever matter to you. You should go for what you believe in even if sometimes it may seem like a big leap.” - J.T.
“I have not thought about myself becoming a social entrepreneur before this class. By looking at my core passions, strengths, and weaknesses… I believe that this information can be used in my future careers.” - S.S.
“I never saw myself as a social entrepreneur or an entrepreneur at all for that matter. It just wasn’t something I really thought about. Social entrepreneurship encompasses the idea of innovation that can change the world and I am excited to continue in this thought process… Although I have never thought about being an entrepreneur, this has opened my mindset to the possibility…Having focus on your passion and understanding your why will not only lead to your success but will impact your overall happiness.” - M.H.