Villanova University

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Villanova University
Villanova School of Business

Graduate Business Programs
Bartley Hall Suite 1074
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085
United States

In the school's own words...

Villanova is the oldest and largest Catholic university in Pennsylvania, and was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. The Villanova School of Business (VSB) is the only graduate business program in the US offered within an Augustinian university, and welcomes students of all faiths or none. Saint Augustine was a prolific philosopher and writer who was deeply connected to the modern concept of CSR. He is credited with establishing the societal concept of “servant leadership” during the 4th century CE—a markedly fresh approach to commerce within the context of the autocratic rule of abbots practiced at that time. It is this kind of bold commitment to social responsibility and contributions to the greater good—in keeping with the original vision of Saint Augustine—that guides business education at Villanova to this day.

It is from this unique perspective that VSB prepares its MBA students to responsibly manage the social and environmental issues inherent in mainstream business. Through a combination of faculty research and innovative curricula, VSB seeks to make graduate business education a transformative experience for its students—one that prepares them to think differently for the rest of their lives.

VSB has several centers of faculty activity that support this goal. The school’s Center for Global Leadership and Center for Marketing and Public Policy Research—through educational, research, service, and outreach programs—advance ethical and responsible global leadership and influence sound policy at the local, state, and national levels. The Center for the Study of Church Management serves churches worldwide, assisting communities who are seeking to become better stewards of church resources by improving their business and management skills. Lastly, the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative Group at VSB seeks to support faculty research and teaching focused specifically on environmental sustainability and ethics in business.

The faculty directors of all these groups teach in the VSB MBA program—collaborating with other faculty members on inspiring, innovative curricula that motivate and teach graduate students. Curricular components include the Strategic Management for Global Organizations capstone course, which explores corporate governments, ethical and environmentally-responsible conduct, strategic leadership, and global operations.

Outside the classroom, the Villanova community exemplifies a daily commitment to service and sustainability. Villanova has received five Green Campus Recognition Awards from the National Wildlife Federation for its environmental initiatives, and will host the International Sustainability Conference in 2009. MBA students can participate in scores of CSR-related projects—from Habitat for Humanity to Special Olympics (Villanova hosts the largest student-run events in the nation). The VSB Graduate Business Student Roundtable emphasizes philanthropy as a way to bring classmates together, and recently hosted a dinner to gather funds and gifts for the Greater Philadelphia Cares Adopt-a-Family program.

Lastly, MBA students benefit from the ongoing presence of CSR-focused speakers and events on campus. Recent extracurricular lecturers include Immaculee Ilibagiza, Rwandan author of Left to Tell, and Dartmouth professor Rick Shreve, presenting “Frameworks for Ethical Leadership.” The Villanova “Ethics for Lunch” series features topics including outsourcing, taxes, healthcare, and technology, and the Joseph F. Azrack Endowed Distinguished Speaker Series at VSB promotes discussions on leadership, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility.

School Demographic Information