WAB, UA and SCUE look to create minor in social entrepreneurship

A growing number of students are turning to social entrepreneurship, and the Undergraduate Assembly, Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and Wharton Dean's Undergraduate Advisory Board are looking to fill that demand.

WAB has made significant progress toward a secondary concentration in social entrepreneurship, but the UA and SCUE are looking to expand developments to the College curriculum.

College freshman Angela Poe, the UA volunteer member heading up the proposal with SCUE member and College freshman Haywood Perry, said the UA and SCUE hope to "open up the possibility of social entrepreneurship to other students" by offering a joint College-Wharton minor, not just a Wharton concentration.

College sophomore and UA Civic and Community Engagement Committee chairman Mark Pan said WAB's efforts to form the concentration have required "jumping through hoops." He said he expects a similar process with the proposed minor.

Vice Dean, director of the Wharton Undergraduate Division and WAB adviser overseeing the project, Georgette Phillips, described the progress the board has made in bringing the concentration to fruition.

"The students involved have carried the heavy load of this project," she said. "They have diligently thought about, massaged and put together what students would want in a secondary concentration."

Phillips said the project now lies in the hands of the faculty, who must approve the concentration before Wharton students can enroll.

While demand for a College equivalent has already surfaced, Poe said, the committee plans to assess past progress before moving forward.

"We're still sketching out the disciplines that would be involved in the minor," Poe said.

As of now, the group envisions the minor drawing from Management and Entrepreneurial classes in Wharton and from Urban Studies, Economics and social fields such as Anthropology in the College.

Poe explained that a base curriculum would address broader problem solving in several subjects. After completing this curriculum, students could have a more specific concentration.

Managing director of Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs Emily Cieri said she is in favor of expanding course offerings.

"Giving students more resources to support and explore these opportunities would certainly enhance our programs," she explained.

Cieri also stressed a growing student interest in the field, noting that Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs - a group that works to provide entrepreneurship opportunities - has seen an increase in ventures related to social efforts.

Poe attributed this growth to students' changing interests and proposed that a Wharton concentration, a joint Wharton-College minor or a combination of the two would help fulfill demand.

"We care about more things than just ourselves," Poe said. "Students are now looking to make an impact in greater spheres."

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