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Commencement
The Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab is a Center of Excellence at the USC Marshall School of Business. It aims to build an ecosystem of students and professionals equipped with the business skills and resources to advance market-based approaches to pressing societal issues. Through education, community building, research, professional development and narrative change, the Lab is a hub for social impact at Marshall, USC and beyond.
ABOUT THE CENTER
Our Impact
Founded in 2008 and named in 2014 through a gift from the Brittingham Family Foundation, BSEL has become one of the world’s leading research and teaching institutions on social enterprise.
It is clear that addressing social problems is no longer the sole responsibility of government and civil society. Our world’s complex social problems require businesses to invest and innovate for both impact and returns. Today’s business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors are taking steps to embed social purpose into their corporate operations. Through our MSSE program—recently ranked 5th in the United States—mentorship opportunities and more, BSEL strives to bolster the next generation of leaders in advancing social change.
Our Values
Innovation: We believe in continuous innovation in developing creative approaches to educational programming and research.
Educational Excellence: We believe that creating social impact through business requires a unique business education that exposes students in and out of the classroom to cutting-edge ideas and skills taught by seasoned instructors, practitioners, scholars, mentors, and those with the lived experience of the social challenges we seek to address.
Courage: We foster a courageous spirit in our students because we believe that solving the wicked problems faced in society requires the fortitude to think and act differently.
Representation: In a world where racism, gender inequality, anti-LGBTQ+ bias, and other forms of discrimination impact students’ opportunities for success in the global economy, we elevate stories, perspectives, and backgrounds that both reflect our diverse community of learners and mirror the range of communities and business environments in which our students will find themselves.
PROGRAMS
BSEL offers graduate and undergraduate academic programming.
PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES
The Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship offers students a unique combination of business entrepreneurship skills delivered within the context of achieving both social and financial missions.
The courses focus entirely on the business aspects of social entrepreneurship including feasibility, planning, marketing, management, finance and execution. Social, environmental and health issues are integrated into the readings, cases, teaching, guest lectures, exercises and assignments. The program also includes a for-credit practical capstone project in which students have the option to develop a business plan for a new social enterprise.
Social Entrepreneurship Minor
Provides students from all undergraduate majors with an understanding of social entrepreneurship and its relationship to government and public policy as well as an understanding of management skills specific to starting and maintaining a social enterprise.
Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Business
Business is increasingly involved in social and environmental issues. On the one hand, government and civil society are exerting increasing pressure on the business sector to help address the world’s pressing social and environmental sustainability challenges. On the other hand, a growing number of businesses are seeking to respond proactively to these challenges. This program prepares students to help shape solutions to social and environmental sustainability challenges, both from within and from outside the business sector.
The program was designed with several audiences in mind: current Marshall graduate students already strong on the business side, current graduate students outside Marshall who may have strength on the sustainability side but want more strength on the business side, and individuals not yet enrolled but eager to deepen their understanding of the field.
BSEL Undergraduate Social Impact Scholars Program
BSEL's Social Impact Scholars Program is a highly selective nine-month mentoring and skills-building experience for a group of rising juniors and seniors who are engaged and pursuing careers in social impact. Applications are now open!
LEARN MORE
Warren Bennis Scholars Program
The Warren Bennis Scholars Program is a university-wide initiative offered by the Office of the Provost through the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab at the Marshall School. Each year, 20 students across academic disciplines are selected at the end of their sophomore year to participate in the two-year leadership program. Scholars receive leadership training in and out of the classroom. Upon successful completion of all requirements of the program, students will receive a designation on their transcripts.
Jacobson Family Sustainable Impact Lecture Series
Throughout the academic year, the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab hosts lectures featuring leaders in the social impact space. The 2022-2023 Jacobson Family Sustainable Impact Lecture Series addresses the theme “How Businesses are Centering Community in Social Impact” and will be moderated by Christina Fialho.
REGISTER
Annual Social Enterpreneurship Conference
The Annual Social Entrepreneurship Conference, co-directed by Dr. Jill Kickul and Dr. Sophie Bacq, is the largest academic gathering of its kind in terms of research paper submissions, and convenes scholars, practitioners, and students from around the world to explore topics in social enterprise, innovation, sustainability, and impact.
Katz Summer Fellowship
Katz is a summer subsidy awarded to graduate business students pursing work outside of the United States. EMAIL for more information.
INSIGHT + ANALYSIS
Op-Ed: Disney Can Do More
Christina Fialho, Managing Director of the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab, writes on why Disney's reactions to its LGBTQ+ employees is no longer enough in CalMatters.
L.A. Entrepreneur Launches Private Affordable Housing Fund
A recent case study from USC Marshall’s Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab highlights a scalable approach to solving the housing crisis.
Cited: Brittingham Research Featured on See Change
Work done examining cognitive and emotional responses to crowdfunded campaigns by co-authors Jill Kickul and Jacqueline Orr is showcased on Sea Change.
NEWS + EVENTS
Social Impact in Hollywood Begins with Community
USC Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab’s recent panel focuses on how businesses can partner with Hollywood to combat climate change, increase diversity and more.
New Research Promotes Systems and Design Thinking Frameworks as Key to Social Entrepreneurship Education and Crucial to Social Venture Development Processes
Researchers, including USC Marshall School of Business Professor Jill Kickul, say four mega-themes—innovation, impact, sustainability and scale—form the backbone of entrepreneurship education.
A Picture to Last a Lifetime
USC Marshall students bring senior portraits, housing support and other services to teens from the Antelope Valley through NewColorsProject.
USC Marshall Professor Jill Kickul Receives Highest Recognition at United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference
The Justin G. Longenecker Award recognizes outstanding contributions to small and medium businesses.
Activist, Community-Organizer and Social Impact Leader Christine Margiotta Named Social Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab for 2022-23 Academic Year
Margiotta will work with students and alumni to provide career advice and consult on their social entrepreneurial ideas and goals.
Co-operative Education Bridges Gap between Recently Incarcerated and Jobs
Social co-operative Collective REMAKE engages leaders in the community, including USC Marshall graduates, to target systematic poverty through just transitions and co-operative businesses.
Not Your Ordinary Hot Sauce
USC Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship alumna addresses financial inequality in Peru with her go-to sauce.
Most Wanted Order at Taco Bell? Social Impact
Russell Agustin '24 is helping the fast-food behemoth build community engagement one big idea at a time.
A Game to Change The World
USC Marshall student launches digital game that teaches teams how to tackle the most difficult problems facing organizations, governments and countries across the globe.
STUDENT LIFE
MSSE Student Association
The mission of the Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship Student Association (MSSE SA) is to advocate on behalf of MSSE students in order to enhance the student experience.
EMAIL MSSE SA for more information.
STAY CONNECTED
COME VISIT US
Brittingham Social Enterprise LabUSC Marshall School of Business3670 Trousdale ParkwayBridge Hall, Room 105Los Angeles, CA 90089-0803EMAILPhone: 213-740-9098
MEET OUR TEAM
Our team includes renowned professors on social enterprise, award-winning social entrepreneurs, and social impact leaders. Learn more about us HERE.
CONNECT WITH US
SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter.
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CONTACT US
Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship EMAIL
Other Student Programs EMAIL
Media Inquiries EMAIL Christina Fialho, Managing Director
For all other questions, please call 213-740-9098.