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Concentration
Social Entrepreneurship
This concentration for business majors seeks to develop business leaders who desire to pursue redemptive entrepreneurship across the globe.
Is This Concentration for Me?
The social entrepreneurship and nonprofit management concentration equips students to pursue business with purpose. Rooted in Samford’s Christ centered mission, the program prepares students to address complex social challenges through sustainable, innovative ventures. Students learn to blend business strategy with service driven impact, developing the vision and practical skill set needed to lead change in their communities and around the world.
This concentration is a great fit for students who:
- Want to integrate faith, purpose and business leadership
- Seek to create solutions that strengthen communities locally or globally
- Enjoy mission‑driven work grounded in restoration, service and compassion
- Prefer hands‑on learning that includes venture development and real‑world impact
- Are energized by collaborative work across business and nonprofit settings
What Will I Learn?
Students complete coursework focused on nonprofit financial management, social enterprise strategy and applied venture development. Whether designing a new social enterprise or supporting an existing organization, students learn how to evaluate needs, steward resources and lead with integrity.
Students Will
- Understand how businesses and nonprofits address social problems
- Apply financial management principles for mission‑driven organizations
- Develop creative solutions grounded in Christian principles of restoration
- Engage in structured experiential learning across global and domestic contexts
- Identify the economic and cultural implications of redemptive entrepreneurship
What Makes Us Different?
Students experience a learning environment that blends classroom instruction, experiential application and values‑driven leadership. Annual involvement in The Lion’s Den gives students firsthand insight into redemptive entrepreneurship, while participation in Praxis Academy offers deeper formation among faith‑minded innovators.
A major differentiator is the Brock Impact Investment Fund (BIIF), a student‑managed, donor‑advised investment fund that empowers students to make venture‑capital style investments in mission‑driven enterprises around the world. The BIIF gives students hands‑on experience in deal sourcing, valuation, due diligence, term sheet creation and portfolio management. As an experiential learning opportunity, it strengthens the concentration’s emphasis on applying business skills to create meaningful social, economic and spiritual impact.
Program Highlights
- Experiential learning through The Lion’s Den pitch competition
- Opportunities to participate in Praxis Academy’s faith‑driven accelerator network
- Applied venture creation as a capstone experience, with more than 60 student projects completed
- Hands‑on exposure to global and domestic challenges including refugee support, community development, racial reconciliation and more
- Faculty mentorship rooted in Christian ethics and redemptive leadership
- Real‑world impact investing experience through the Brock Impact Investment Fund, where students analyze, structure and manage mission‑aligned investments worldwide
- Partnerships with organizations such as Women’s Bakery, Amplio Recruiting and Karisimbi Partners featured in previous student work
Career Preparation
Students graduate ready to lead in nonprofit and for profit settings that pursue social impact. The concentration builds ethical decision making, financial stewardship and venture leadership skills that prepare students to launch new social enterprises or strengthen existing mission driven organizations. Experiential learning through the BIIF further equips students with skills relevant to private equity, impact investing and social venture development.
Prepare to Succeed
- Build a strong foundation in nonprofit finance and social enterprise strategy
- Practice entrepreneurial problem‑solving through applied projects
- Engage with investors, practitioners and global partners
- Participate in a capstone experience that requires real venture creation
- Strengthen your ability to lead with purpose in any professional setting
Career Opportunities
- Social entrepreneur
- Nonprofit program manager
- Community development leader
- Impact investing analyst
- Corporate social responsibility coordinator
- Faith‑based or mission‑driven venture founder
Application Information
Freshman applications for next fall are open.Freshman Early Action applications close November 1st.The freshman first scholarship deadline is December 1st.Transfer applications for the spring semester close Dec. 15.Freshman FAFSA priority and scholarship deadlines are Feb. 15.Decision day is coming! Freshman applications for fall enrollment close May 1st.Transfer applications for fall enrollment close July 1st.Freshman applications for fall enrollment are closed. Applications for next year open August 1st.Transfer applications for fall enrollment are closed. Applications for next year open September 1st.
