Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab

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.

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.