North Central takes global citizenship to new heights with the launch of innovative degree programs

North Central College is adding two new Bachelor of Arts degree programs–social entrepreneurship and ethical leadership–beginning fall 2019. Course offerings cater to a growing trend among Generation Z (Gen Z), who seek meaning and purpose in their career as well as a competitive advantage in today’s job market.

Through North Central’s new programs, students will garner a skillset that will make for a transformative approach to the business world.

“Corporate social responsibility (CSR) continues to be a focus for organizations today,” said Michael Duy ’20, a social entrepreneurship major. “With the increasing attention CSR has been gaining, in combination with the competitive job market, these majors will set students apart from the pack due to the unique approaches to business solutions they will develop.”

The College is nurturing tomorrow’s leaders by equipping students with the resources they need to create meaningful change.

“A major in ethical leadership will be a unique way to market the diverse experiences students can have at North Central,” said Mikayla Strasser ’18, a psychology major with concentrations in ethics and leadership. “It shows future employers they have a strong core set of values and will be able to use those values in an effective and impactful way when working in a professional setting.”

The social entrepreneurship major provides students with the mindset and skills to create innovative, scalable and measurable solutions to complex societal challenges. Students will be well-equipped to launch a for-profit, non-profit or hybrid venture of their own, or to solve social challenges by innovating within an existing organization.

The ethical leadership major delivers a comprehensive overview and systematic approach to the study of leadership and its ethical obligations and implications.

“As an Ashoka Changemaker campus, North Central College, is on the cutting-edge of social impact learning and experiential opportunity,” said Thomas D. Cavenagh, JD, Schneller Sisters Professor of Leadership, Ethics and Values, professor of business law and co-director of the Center for Social Impact. “Our new majors offer innovative packages of classroom instruction focusing on theory and practice; opportunities with community partners for students to practice what they are learning; and cocurricular options that include pitch competitions, innovation grants, faculty and staff collaboration work and robust student organization activities.”

These additions come from the longstanding Leadership, Ethics and Values Program (LEV), the academic engine of North Central College’s new Center for Social Impact. Through a unique combination of curricular, cocurricular and experiential learning opportunities within the Program, students become curious, engaged, ethical and purposeful citizens and leaders.

In addition to the College’s Leadership, Ethics and Values Program, students have the opportunity to make their ideas a reality through ConVerge, North Central’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. ConVerge connects students to the campus and community resources they need – workshops, coaching, funding, and more – to take a project from inspiration to ideation to implementation. ConVerge, along with the Center for Social Impact, provides students everything they need to launch a sustainable social venture.

Find more information, including expected courses and application instructions, on the social entrepreneurship and ethical leadership program web pages.

For more information on the Leadership, Ethics and Values program, visit North Central’s LEV web page.