Driving positive change for MBA graduates
Interested in helping protect our climate? Or are you looking for a career where the pursuit of business goals intertwines seamlessly with the pursuit of social good? Social impact and sustainability sit at the intersection of where passion meets purpose, and Kellogg is deeply committed to developing the next generation of responsible leaders.
Kellogg is committed to empowering students and graduates with opportunities that will help them launch their careers in impact and sustainability. Through the Social Impact & Sustainability Loan Assistance Award, graduating students can receive up to $75,000 to help them substantially and quickly pay down a significant portion of their business school debt.
Hear from past recipients and how the award and the broader Kellogg community have supported their social impact careers and ventures.
“The Social Impact & Sustainability Loan Assistance Award gave me the courage to embrace the reward of a career shift into social impact. It can be risky to trade certainty for the unknown. The opportunity to apply for this award allowed me to focus less on the financial risk — especially when student loans are a very real consideration — and more on the upside of finding the place to dive into workforce development.
“In my two years at North Lawndale Employment Network, I’ve truly reaped the rewards of a career in social impact, and I get to put my Kellogg learning into practice every day as I lead the scaling of our social enterprises.
“Thanks to this award, I’ve had the privilege of learning from the folks with lived experience overcoming barriers to employment and working for a Black-led leadership team that is deeply invested in understanding the people they serve on Chicago’s West Side and beyond.”
“I believe funding for student and career support initiatives like the Social Impact & Sustainability Loan Assistance Awards is incredibly important for Kellogg graduates because it offers crucial financial relief enabling them to pursue careers in social impact and sustainability without being burdened by significant debt. By providing access to opportunities and retaining talent within the field, these initiatives foster diversity, innovation and long-term sustainability.
“Moreover, they demonstrate the school’s commitment to supporting meaningful careers aligned with social and environmental goals inspiring more business leaders to pursue paths that drive positive change.”
“It's imperative that MBA graduates pursuing roles in social impact receive support because there is an abundance of meaningful work that needs to be done in the not-for-profit sector. Programs like the Social Impact & Sustainability Loan Assistance Award ensure that alumni can utilize the versatile skills gained in their MBA to pursue full-time roles that uplift, empower and advocate for marginalized communities.”
“The Social Impact & Sustainability Loan Assistance Award is an incredibly important opportunity offered to Kellogg students. As many know, deciding to pursue business school can also mean committing to a significant financial investment. This reality often influences career choices and with the pressure to prioritize financial stability, it can sway recent graduates toward paths with higher financial returns steering them away from initially pursuing impactful careers.
“This award offers tangible financial support, and for someone like me, it has allowed me to follow my passion to close the wealth generation gap for Latinx/e entrepreneurs across the U.S.”
“There are many factors that go into choosing a post-MBA career path, and the Social Impact & Sustainability Loan Assistance Award helps tip the scale, making careers in the public and social impact sectors a more realistic choice for students weighing their options.
“Receiving the award enabled me to take a ‘riskier’ career choice working for a boutique consulting firm in Kigali, Rwanda. Had it not been for the school’s investment in my social impact career, I wouldn't have had the invaluable opportunity to work in East Africa, an experience that greatly enhances my contributions at USAID and PEPFAR back in Washington, D.C.”
“I incubated my nonprofit during the two years I was at Kellogg and gathered invaluable support in the form of mentorships, funding and networks. With all that traction, I decided to move back to India after graduating to work full-time on the idea.
“The thought of building a startup — let alone a nonprofit one — in India after taking on an American debt burden seemed impossible. However, I was able to do this thanks to the incredible support of Kellogg.”
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