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Five leaders selected as Social Impact Scholars

From left: Social Impact Scholars Meg Lassar, Katie Welge, Daisy Fedt, Rachel Graham, and Liz Summy meet with philanthropist Art Mollenhauer (middle).

By Brittany Grosser-Basile | Student reporter

The first cohort of the Baumhart Center’s Social Impact Scholars program began on September 10 with five extraordinary social impact leaders who were selected from a large pool of talented applicants.

The program, generously supported by a philanthrophic gift, offers half scholarships to established leaders from high-performing nonprofits to participate in Quinlan’s 10-week Mini-MBA program.

The students meet one evening per week to engage in business topics and strategies that can be implemented at work the next day. The Baumhart Center then hosts a special eleventh workshop exclusively for the scholarship recipients that focuses on how to leverage the Mini-MBA knowledge and skills toward advancing impact at their nonprofit organizations.

The scholars are already off to a strong start. Here’s why they are excited about the program in their own words:

Daisy Feidt

Executive Vice President of Access Living

“I am thrilled to be a Social Impact Scholar through the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise. The Loyola Mini MBA program will give me a framework to lead Access Living with focus and clarity as we tackle some important challenges in the coming year, including the launch of our first for-profit initiative.”

Rachel Graham

Director of Programs of Lefkofsky Family Foundation

“I believe that this mini-MBA will help me build the skills needed to feel confident in what has to date felt like a foreign world. Cultivating a solid foundation in leadership, strategy, and business models will help me move at a quicker pace and give me the competitive edge, both in my current role and as I continue on in my career.”

Meg Lassar

Senior Vice President of Strategy & Advancement at Bright Pink

“Participating in the mini-MBA program will provide me with the business acumen I need to help my organization successfully execute against a new and ambitious strategic plan and demonstrate meaningful growth and impact in the women’s health space.”

Liz Summy

President/CEO at Human Resources Mgmt Assn. of Chicago (HRMAC)

“This timing of this program is great and the content lines up perfectly against my work plan for the coming year. I’m so excited to learn from the faculty and interact with others in the cohort. I was inspired on the first night!”

Katie Welge

Managing Director of Aspire CoffeeWorks

“As the managing director of Aspire CoffeeWorks, a growing social enterprise coffee company that employs adults with disabilities by selling coffee to businesses, I am in a unique position to impact lives in a positive way. The Quinlan Mini-MBA will help me become a well-rounded business leader who can successfully effect change in the community by raising awareness of inclusion for people with disabilities.”