BES: Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurs drive social change. They work in community and organizational contexts, harnessing creativity, innovation, and design thinking to meet the needs of people and the world around us. UMSL’s BES program with an emphasis in Social Entrepreneurship prepares students to design and implement action plans, build organizational and operational capacity, and accomplish their goals through social innovation.

In UMSL’s BES program, students gain skills and insights that can be applied as developers of educational products or services, program directors, community service professionals, and leaders of social ventures. For social entrepreneurship, half the skillset is business-oriented; thus, students take entrepreneurship courses offered through UMSL’s College of Business. But students also gain skills that help them work with others to address needs in society, especially needs related to social justice, education, and empowerment. Through the BES program, students have the opportunity to earn specific credentials and pursue academic minors related to their career goals. This degree program does not lead to Missouri teacher certification.

Internship experiences are a transformative part of an UMSL BES student’s coursework, allowing them to apply their knowledge and skills in a community-based context. BES students have pursued internship experiences at St. Louis institutions such as Beyond Housing, the Little Bit Foundation, Paraquad, and UMSL’s Community Innovation and Action Center. Internships and other service learning opportunities put students in contact with youth, women, children, veterans, and community residents of all ages. Internship projects allow students a chance to propose and/or implement social change initiatives that are effective, collaborative, and sustainable.