Social Enterprise Fellows
Mission
To develop the capacity for transformative acts of leadership that create sustainable economic and social value through cross-sector partnerships.
About the Fellowship
The newest fellowship program within the Wharton Graduate Leadership Program, the Wharton Social Enterprise Fellows program was established in the fall of 2007 in full partnership with the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2). The Social Enterprise Fellows program consists of two components: a course and a practicum.
The first is a course that focuses on the partnerships possible between the for-profit sector, the nonprofit sector, and the governmental sector through the study of social movements and the creation of purpose-driven organizations. This program represents one of the truly interdisciplinary educational experiences available to Wharton students, as they are joined with graduate students from the Masters Program in Non Profit/NGO Leadership. This year, we are also piloting participation from Penn Law School students.
The second component is a practicum, in which Wharton Social Enterprise Fellows engage in a project during the fall semester. The ultimate goal of the project is to advance the community’s knowledge of and ability to collaborate across sectors. This project-based course is highly experiential and features sustained interaction with representatives of each sector. The overarching goal for the practicum is for the students to complete a project related to our program mission. These projects take many shapes and will continue to be scoped and designed over the course of the year.
The students in the first two Social Enterprise Fellows classes were able to share learning in a variety of functions and sectors including community development, biotech development, education, literacy, the arts, green shipping, nutrition, and personal finance. Some of the participating organizations are: Opportunity Finance Network, BIO Ventures for Global Health, Nicetown Community Development Corporation, Philadelphia Museum of Art, BCorp, The Reinvestment Fund, and MANNA.
As with other fellowship programs within the Wharton Graduate Leadership Program, Wharton Social Enterprise Fellows fill a role that is both developmental and service-oriented, and explore their own leadership and group behaviors in a highly experiential format. This program requires a high degree of commitment in terms of time, mind-share, and dedication to the group learning process. Social Enterprise Fellows are expected to participate fully in both the curricular and co-curricular aspects of the program, including coursework, class discussion, program projects, and individual and group reflection.
We are not currently accepting application for this program. Check back throughout the fall semester for updates and application information.
Heeyoon Chang, WG'09
"The academic portion of the program -- which addressed the study of social movements, as well as of cross-sector partnerships -- was directly applicable to my work in the nonprofit sector this past summer."
Jim Schroder, WG'09
"I gained many lessons on how non-profits are structured and how they develop. Specifically, I learned how strong leadership and relationships across sectors are imperative for long-term success."
