Five leaders selected as Social Impact Scholars
From left: Social Impact Scholars Meg Lassar, Katie Welge, Daisy Fedt, Rachel Graham, and Liz Summy meet with philanthropist Art Mollenhauer (middle).
By Brittany Grosser-Basile | Student reporter
The first cohort of the Baumhart Center鈥檚 Social Impact Scholars program began on September 10 with five extraordinary social impact leaders who were selected from a large pool of talented applicants.
The program, generously supported by a philanthrophic gift, offers half scholarships to established leaders from high-performing nonprofits to participate in Quinlan鈥檚 10-week Mini-MBA program.
The students meet one evening per week to engage in business topics and strategies that can be implemented at work the next day. The Baumhart Center then hosts a special eleventh workshop exclusively for the scholarship recipients that focuses on how to leverage the Mini-MBA knowledge and skills toward advancing impact at their nonprofit organizations.
The scholars are already off to a strong start. Here鈥檚 why they are excited about the program in their own words:
Daisy Feidt
Executive Vice President of Access Living
鈥淚 am thrilled to be a Social Impact Scholar through the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise. The 黑料门Mini MBA program will give me a framework to lead Access Living with focus and clarity as we tackle some important challenges in the coming year, including the launch of our first for-profit initiative.鈥�
Rachel Graham
Director of Programs of Lefkofsky Family Foundation
鈥淚 believe that this mini-MBA will help me build the skills needed to feel confident in what has to date felt like a foreign world. Cultivating a solid foundation in leadership, strategy, and business models will help me move at a quicker pace and give me the competitive edge, both in my current role and as I continue on in my career.鈥�
Meg Lassar
Senior Vice President of Strategy & Advancement at Bright Pink
鈥淧articipating in the mini-MBA program will provide me with the business acumen I need to help my organization successfully execute against a new and ambitious strategic plan and demonstrate meaningful growth and impact in the women鈥檚 health space.鈥�
Liz Summy
President/CEO at Human Resources Mgmt Assn. of Chicago (HRMAC)
鈥淭his timing of this program is great and the content lines up perfectly against my work plan for the coming year. I鈥檓 so excited to learn from the faculty and interact with others in the cohort. I was inspired on the first night!鈥�
Katie Welge
Managing Director of Aspire CoffeeWorks
鈥淎s the managing director of Aspire CoffeeWorks, a growing social enterprise coffee company that employs adults with disabilities by selling coffee to businesses, I am in a unique position to impact lives in a positive way. The Quinlan Mini-MBA will help me become a well-rounded business leader who can successfully effect change in the community by raising awareness of inclusion for people with disabilities.鈥�
Learn more
- Gift Launches Social Impact Scholarships for Mini-MBA
- Social Impact Scholarships
- Mini-MBA program