Certificate In Public Management and Social Innovation

• The Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation is an academic option within the MBA Program.
• The certificate is evidence of a student's preparation for and commitment to using management tools to address social and environmental issues and also serves as an important signal to future employers.
• To earn the certificate:
  • Complete a total of 16 units of elective credit in pre-approved (or petitioned) courses.
  • Complete at least 8 of the required 16 units at the GSB.
  • Meet the Program Practicum requirement by successfully fulfilling the requirements of any of the following programs:
    • Stanford Board Fellows
    • Stanford Management Internship Fund (SMIF)
    • Social Innovation Study Trips
    • Global Management Immersion Experience (GMIX) for a social purpose organization; operated by the Center for Global Business and the Economy
    • Social Innovation Fellowship applicant
    • I Have a Dream (IHAD) club tutor
    • Leadership position in any of the following:
      • Center for Social Innovation Executive Committee
      • Impact Labs
      • Social Innovation Study Trip
      • Stanford Management Internships Fund (SMIF)
      • Center for Social Innovation-affiliated club—Energy Club, International Development Club, GSB Gives Back, Government and Politics Club, Social Venture Club, I Have a Dream, Education Club, Sustainable Business Club, Health Care Club, Challenge for Charity, FARM Club
• Each year, you can choose from approximately 30-40 classes that encompass public, nonprofit, and socially responsible business management topics.
• Sample electives include:
  • Strategic Issues in Philanthropy
  • Social Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation
  • The International Economy: Policies and Theory
  • Poverty, Entrepreneurship and Development
  • Introduction to the Politics of Education
  • Strategic Management of Nonprofits
  • Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability
  • Environmental Science for Managers & Policy Makers
  • Leading Strategic Change in the Health Care Industry

Experiential Learning

A host of activities provide the opportunity to extend your learning beyond the classroom while engaging with and contributing to the community. Gain real-world experience and make a tangible difference:

• Impact Labs—Experiential learning activities that facilitate student exploration of various approaches to have social and environmental impact in the world.

• Social Innovation Study Trips—work alongside and learn from globally-recognized international and domestic social entrepreneurs who are addressing some of the world's most pressing social and environmental problems. 2011-2012 trips included:
  • CALIFORNIA: Food and Agriculture
  • CAMBODIA and THAILAND: Youth, Empowerment and Innovation
  • CHINA: Energy and the Environment
  • KENYA: Social Entrepreneurship "Deep Dive"
  • SOUTH AFRICA: Education
  • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES and OMAN: Sustainable Economic Development
  • Social Innovation Project Fund—Financial support for short-term consulting projects with organizations visited on the Social Innovation Study Trips.

Career Assistance

The Center for Social Innovation and Career Management Center (CMC) provide resources and counseling to help you pursue summer or full-time positions in the nonprofit and public sectors as well as socially responsible business and for-profit ventures.

Career opportunities include:

• Stanford Management Internship Fund (SMIF) Summer Internships—SMIF supports MBA students who contribute their business skills to nonprofits, government agencies, and social purpose businesses through their summer employment. The program brings critical management skills to organizations addressing important social and environmental issues and gives students hands-on experience working in these fields.
  
  Past summer internship employers include: Environmental Defense Fund, Executive Office of the President, NewSchools Venture Fund, Save the Children, District of Columbia Public Schools, Social Venture Network, The World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and Goodwill Industries.
  
  In its nearly 30 year history, SMIF has funded nearly 500 Fellows in work with over 325 organizations around the world.
• GSB Nonprofit/Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program—If you accept a qualifying government or nonprofit position after graduation, either in the U.S. or abroad, you may be eligible for a loan forgiveness program that substantially reduces your MBA financial obligation.
  
  Stanford MBA graduates working in the nonprofit and public sectors are eligible to have up to 100 percent of your debt repayments forgiven for that year. You may apply at any time during your career while you are still repaying loans, and there is no limit on the number of years you can qualify for the program.
  
  The GSB Nonprofit/Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is one of the most generous loan forgiveness programs among business schools.
• Social Innovation Fellowship—The Fellowship enables GSB students and recent alumni with a novel idea for addressing an important social or environmental problem to devote a full year to building their vision into a viable nonprofit organization.
  
  Up to three 12-month stipends of $80,000 for individuals or $120,000 for a team will be awarded each year in June for fellowships beginning that summer and concluding the following summer.

Community Connection

The Center for Social Innovation Programs are committed to supporting a vibrant community of people actively engaged in building a more just and sustainable world. Activities such as retreats, speakers, conferences, social events, and student clubs allow you to connect with GSB peers, faculty, alumni, and expert practitioners who share your interests.

Additionally, students organize dozens of events on topics as varied as corporate social responsibility, education, environment, healthcare, international development, philanthropy, social enterprise, and state and local government

Hundreds of students belong to PMP-related clubs, including:

• Challenge for Charity (C4C)—Raises money and volunteer support for Special Olympics, and hosts the C4C Weekend held each spring at Stanford, which is attended by students from eight west coast business schools.
• Education Club—Engages business and education students in discussion and learning about their roles in education, education's role in society, and business' role in education.
• Energy Club—Fosters connections between students at the GSB, across Stanford, and in the energy community.
• Food and Agriculture Resource Management (FARM) Club—Advances the career and educational interests of the GSB community on topics related to food and agriculture and facilitates cross-disciplinary engagement in these topics within the broader Stanford community.
• Government and Politics Club—Facilitates a highly energized, non-partisan group of students interested in developing a deeper understanding of the intersection between government and business.
• GSB Gives Back Club—Organizes and hosts the GSB's largest school-wide charity event, the Charity Auction, with proceeds benefiting organizations chosen by the auction team and student body.
• Healthcare Club—Brings students with interest or experience in healthcare together with alumni, industry experts, and thought leaders who share common interests.
• I Have a Dream (IHAD)—Seeks to improve graduation rates, build college aspirations, and help finance continued education for children growing up in low-income and otherwise disadvantaged communities.
• International Development Club—Brings together students interested in learning about various international development issues and opportunities.
• Social Venture Club—Explores the blurring boundaries between the public and private sectors in the belief that social sector organizations can benefit from applying business principles and skills to deliver public services.
• Sustainable Business Club—Informs students about environmental concerns in a business context.