Social Innovation and a best-in-class curriculum that sets us apart from other institutions
Translations available in English | Cantonese | Mandarin
Social innovation as a mindset has the power to transform the business world.
In simple terms, aligning business with purpose across all academic areas is helping the Gabelli School create leaders across fields with the ability to see innovation opportunities that benefit more than just the bottom line. This is critical for tomorrow’s business leaders, and it’s the driving force behind our mission.
Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business is one of only 24 universities worldwide chosen by the United Nations as a model of responsible management education; and, we are one of 35 universities worldwide designated a “Changemaker Campus” by the global social innovation organization Ashoka U.
For Gabelli School undergraduate students across all academic areas, the lens of social innovation and sustainability is applied beginning freshman year with a Ground Floor course which offers an understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As students’ progress through sophomore, junior and senior years, they are oriented to social innovation-themed cohorts and have the option to take classes associated with impact investing, social marketing, design thinking, sustainable accounting and community engaged learning.
Students also benefit from the experience of the Gabelli School Social Innovation Fellows: Jerry White, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1997; Katherine Milligan, former director of Schwab Foundation at the World Economic Forum; and Patrick Struebi, social entrepreneur, founder of Fairtrasa. These fellows are teaching classes, conducting workshops and helping students appreciate the power of embracing social innovation in business.
“We created a program to provide students with both the mindset and the tools they need to be able to incorporate social innovation into their careers regardless of their career choice” said Lerzan Aksoy, associate dean of undergraduate studies, “however we want all students to question and ask how a business objective can be met in a way that better serves others, or how something can be done differently, in way that also brings benefits to the environment”.
Beyond the classroom, all students, regardless of academic studies, have the opportunity to share in this mindset of helping businesses, in their innovative pursuit for profits, discover ways that will also cater to and benefit society and our environment.
There are many opportunities at Fordham to learn how to become not only a leader, but also a professional changemaker who drives social and environmental performance in addition to positive financial results.
Fordham’s Social Innovation Collaboratory provides opportunities where students can interact with members of the community to inspire creative actions, innovations and solutions for community-wide problems. The Fordham Foundry, the entrepreneurship hub of the University where we encourage innovative ideas and ventures, also provides opportunities for students to collaborate and compete and help leaders from organizations conquer difficult business issues dealing with people and the environment.
In a recent survey of business and HR leaders around the world, conducted by Deloitte, citizenship and social impact were rated critical or important by 77% of the respondents (Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2018). In that same survey, 86% of millennials think that business success should be measured in terms of more than just financial performance.
As companies begin and continue to support safeguarding the environment and humanity, in addition to profits, our students are well positioned to bring their capabilities to the workplace.
“The Gabelli School mission has always been to been to inspire positive global change, developing students into compassionate business leaders and impacting business in a positive manner while making a difference in the world,” Aksoy said. “We intend to continue to advance our education around social innovation and sustainable business to meet the needs of the business world, today and in the future.”
