Forming ethical leaders for the next generation

Higher education is undergoing significant changes. Today’s business programs in particular are far more learner-centered, innovative, and relevant than ever. 

For some business students at Catholic universities, internship and sponsorship programs are paving the way for them to put into practice the ethical business ideals they are learning in the classroom.

PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUCCESS

Mark Weber, executive in residence and director of the Sales Program at the Busch School of Business at Catholic University of America, says the university’s Sales Partnership Program works primarily with business-to-business technology companies that build, develop, and sell enterprise software. 

Founded to educate and train students to compete ethically in the world of selling, the program offers an opportunity for companies to join in this mission by becoming corporate partners. 

“Internships and other experiential learning opportunities with well-vetted companies ensure that students receive a high level of mentorship, guidance, and exposure to industry best practices to complement their coursework,” Weber said. 

In addition, the facilitating of opportunities for students to gain real-world selling experience for companies like Splunk, Varonis, NetApp, ZoomInfo, and Deltek enables them to apply their classroom training and development while further advancing their hiring prospects after graduation. 

“The formal partnership fosters a collaborative relationship between industry and higher education, allowing partners to provide input on the Sales Program curriculum and activities to advise preferred skills, competencies, and areas of focus necessary to compete in the marketplace,” Weber said. 

AN ETHICS FOCUS

All initiatives and programs that reside in the Busch School of Business incorporate a focus on solid business ethics through a multi-channeled approach that incorporates rigorous case studies, classroom discussions, CEO lectures, role-play scenarios, virtue study, and Catholic social teaching into the overall curriculum. 

“By focusing on solid business ethics, we equip our students with the core foundation to navigate real-life ethical challenges, make principled decisions, and contribute positively to the business environment at large,” explained Weber. 

The program further aims to establish meaningful relationships among students, alumni, and professional sales leadership. This, in turn, provides students with real-world learning experiences, and companies with well-trained, trustworthy emerging leaders in the business-to-business sales community. 

“With the program’s growing momentum and the support of dedicated partners, it continues to evolve and develop, fostering a dynamic ecosystem where students and businesses can prosper together,” Weber said. “The ethics component is particularly important in today’s business world because more than ever, leading companies and their hiring teams are focused on qualities such as trust and reputation due to a rise of ethical consumerism and sustainable business practices in the greater economic system.”

In terms of soliciting and onboarding new Sales Program partners, CUA practices what it preaches. During the summer, representatives meet with dozens of companies and assess their early-in-career initiatives, culture and life working there, career-progression models, and mentorship programs, among others. They also interview Sales Program alumni working in these firms and discuss with existing students their desired post-graduate destinations, industries of interest, and areas of study outside of sales to find partners that can offer the best fit.

Corporate partners receive special recruiting consideration during planned student events and classroom experiences, such as information sessions, HQ visits, on-campus interview days, and internal sales pitch competitions. 

“By investing in the program,” Weber pointed out, “partners contribute to enhancing the education and professionalism of the next generation of virtuous sales talent that they, in turn, recruit for internships and job opportunities.”

THEORY TO PRACTICE

For Julie Musselman, chief of staff at Ave Maria University, a well-vetted company whose mission aligns with AMU can give students an opportunity to integrate the theory they learn in the classroom with practical applications and skills development in a professional workplace setting. 

Currently AMU’s Office of Career Services seeks to connect all students with top companies for meaningful internships. This fall, the university is looking to expand its current internship program to provide Legatus member companies internship opportunities with the school’s Aquinas Scholars, a unique scholarship that rewards academic excellence for students who exhibit a strong desire for and commitment to AMU’s Catholic mission.

“Through internships, AMU students will have the opportunity to gain valuable skills, develop social capital, explore their vocation, and make connections in professional fields,” Musselman said. 

Employers benefit too by training and working with faithful, intelligent, well-formed and educated student interns, she added.

“This scholarship is a way to help employers identify and cultivate the next generation of leaders who are grounded in their faith and values and who may become major contributors to the company,” Musselman said.

While all AMU students are required to take semester-long courses in ethics and moral theology, business majors additionally take a course called “Management and Ethics,” which integrates ethical topics and principles of Catholic social teaching into managerial theory. 

When identifying business partners, AMU looks for companies whose mission aligns with AMU and businesses also must be in good standing with the Department of State where the business is registered. Business websites are reviewed to identify if the mission and vision of each organization is in alignment with the mission of AMU and does not violate the magisterium of the Catholic Church. 

The formation of business students in ethics is important “because ethical behavior is fundamental to following Christ. … It is by being authentic, mature witnesses to Christ in professional settings that alumni have a unique impact on every sphere of ecclesial life and civil society,” Musselman said. 

“Any apparent dichotomy between business life, work, and committed discipleship to Christ is fundamentally false and superficial,” she added. “Holiness is a universal calling in the Catholic Church.”

BUSINESS + EDUCATION = SUCCESS

In June, Walsh University in North Canton, OH, announced a partnership with the Stark County Educational Service Center and regional school districts to address a potential leadership void in K-12 public education. The result was the creation of an MBA specialization in school district leadership. 

Designed by James Falter, director of graduate programs and associate professor in Walsh’s DeVille School of Business, the program is for those already employed in school districts who wish to expand their business, management, and leadership skillset. The school districts requested a flexible or hybrid format that would maximize learning opportunities while allowing students to maintain their current roles. 

The program is designed to enhance succession planning for upper-level leadership roles, including the superintendent role, within the region, Falter said. 

The program’s curriculum brings together a strong core in business administration along with courses in educational leadership, law, finance, and human resource management. 

Consistent with Walsh’s mission, business ethics is also a primary focus, Falter noted. The MBA program coursework and content “weaves business ethics into content, cases, and applied decision-making problems,” he explained.