Chaifetz School Introduces Ignatian Service Fellowship
03/18/2020
The Chaifetz School of Business is proud to offer a new fellowship aimed at equipping aspiring nonprofit and public sector professionals with the business skills essential to organizational effectiveness. The Ignatian Service Fellowship will be available to any applicant to the school’s One-Year MBA program who has completed a full term of volunteer service as a member of Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Catholic Volunteer Network, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Teach for America or other approved volunteer service programs prior to enrollment. Chaifetz School leaders hope the fellowship will attract students that share the institution's commitment to “Higher purpose. Greater Good.”
The new fellowship includes a guaranteed $20,000 scholarship to the school’s One-Year MBA program. Fellows will also serve the St. Louis community through a paid graduate internship with the Chaifetz School’s Service Leadership Program or Habitat for Neighborhood Business partnership.
“Here at SLU, we want our Jesuit mission to be present in every aspect of a student’s education, and we’d like to see that better represented in the business school,” said Scott Duellman, Ph.D., Interim Edward Jones Dean at the Chaifetz School of Business. “We believe our school’s proven dedication to providing service to others makes SLU an attractive option to business-minded students hoping to pursue a career in nonprofit work.”
St. Louis, home to a vibrant nonprofit sector, was named one of the Top 10 Cities for Giving in 2019 by Fidelity Charitable, a 501(c)(3) public charity and one of the nation’s top grantmakers. SLU’s campus in the heart of the city offers abundant opportunities for students to make connections with nearby nonprofits and small businesses.
Ben Smyth, manager of the Chaifetz School’s Service Leadership Program and former Jesuit Volunteer, is excited about what the fellowship could mean for the community.
“At the Chaifetz School we believe that business goes beyond the bottom line. The skills our students learn here allow them to better serve the people in our communities,” he said.
“We’re really excited about this,” Smyth continued. “We have a great foundation for a program like this at the business school, and we’re willing to be flexible to make this fellowship something really beneficial to our students and the community. I’m thrilled that we’re expanding SLU’s dedication to service.”
Gladys Smith, Ph.D., manages SLU’s partnership with Habitat for Neighborhood Business, a nonprofit organization that supports sustainable business practices among entrepreneurs in underserved areas of St. Louis.
“Marketing, development, event planning, research and data analytics—these are just a few of the areas an Ignatian Service Fellow could pursue with our office,” Smith said. “There are plenty of opportunities here for a student with a passion for work in nonprofits and small businesses to make a difference in our community.”
SLU’s One-Year MBA, an accelerated 11-month degree program that begins in June, is often attractive to recent graduates and young professionals looking to differentiate themselves and accelerate their careers. Chaifetz School faculty and staff believe the program is a great opportunity for volunteers who are just completing their term of service and looking to build on their work experience with new business skills. For these volunteers who have already demonstrated passion and dedication to improving their communities, an advanced degree could put them in a position to become leaders in their field.
Applications to the 2020 One-Year MBA cohort are due May 1. There is no fee to apply and GMAT/GRE scores are not required. Start your application today at slu.edu/apply.