Community Building Through Social Entrepreneurship and Business Development

Social enterprises, both for-profit and non-profit, are growth engines for building communities and implementing social justice and equity.  Students will learn how to create, run, develop and promote a successful and financially sustainable social enterprise. Topics will include the nature and types of social enterprises, financial management, entrepreneurship, business finance and accounting, writing, communication, leadership, and management skills.  Together we will explore issues, challenges, and opportunities that arise from working with various types of social enterprises and public organizations across the boundaries of cultural and economic differences. We will also cover topics on economic policy and globalization.

This program is for students interested in entrepreneurship, business management and finance, community building, organizational behavior, and emergent leadership. Students will cultivate practices of ethical, resilient, and visionary leadership as they work to become persuasive and credible communicators. They will learn to employ stories, strategies, and structures to communicate clear messages, build community, and create effective change. Individual and group learning will be facilitated through active involvement in seminar discussions, workshop activities, writing, storytelling, and oral presentations. Students will design and implement individual and group projects and do research and analysis of social enterprise models. Students will have the opportunity to build their work over multiple quarters.

To successfully participate in this program, students will need internet access, and a computing device (preferably a laptop or desktop, a webcam and microphone). Students can expect our remote teaching to be around 7-8 hours of synchronous (scheduled) coursework per week, using Canvas and Zoom. Students will have access to alternatives to synchronous (in person or remote) participation if conditions require.

12 Credit Option:  Students who enroll for 12 credits will participate in all program activities plus a 4 credit in-program individual learning project, business venture proposal, or in-service internship. Students who choose to do advanced work can devleop a capstone project in the spring. The content project or internship must relate to the program and must be approved by the faculty by the end of the first week of the quarter.

“Life is love, and love is service.”
--Dr. Norman Chamberlain, (CEO) Pioneer Human Services