Service Leadership, Minor
The Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University is where mission meets the market; a place where leaders grow and develop, demonstrating competence, conscience, compassion and commitment to the community by integrating the strong traditions of Jesuit education with the fundamentals of leadership.
This unique and highly-recognized academic minor in service leadership is available exclusively to business majors.
The leaders within the [Service Leadership] program provide an easy way to get involved in service and ethical business practices. Not only have I learned a lot, but I have been a part of events and projects which I would have never heard about elsewhere." — Lance Hussey, Class of 2022
The program allows students in the Chaifetz School of Business to develop and hone their leadership skills while serving the St. Louis community. By volunteering at organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Campus Kitchen or one of the many other available service sites, you will practice critical thinking, decision-making, effective communication and team building. These skills are essential to your success as a more effective future business leader.
Overview
The minor in service leadership requires 200 hours of community service, with at least 100 of them at the same site, 12 leadership workshops and 15 hours of coursework, including a capstone experience where you'll consult alongside Habitat for Neighborhood Business in supporting small businesses in economically disadvantaged areas in St. Louis. Through their academic coursework, students pursuing a service leadership minor learn the theory behind leadership and integrate their service experiences into their lives and professional careers
There are numerous exciting opportunities for service leaders to complete their 200 hours of community service. Serving at least 100 of those hours at the same nonprofit allows the service leader's growth in their knowledge of the operations and needs of the organization to advance concurrently with their progress in the business curriculum. Service leaders can apply the business theory they are learning in the classroom for the benefit of their service organization, thereby furthering the mission of the nonprofit in real time. The available service sites are diverse, and each one provides opportunities to gain meaningful leadership experience and make personal connections while serving the economically poor and marginalized of society.
Each year, several leadership workshops are offered through the service leadership program with topics ranging from humor to ethical decision making and from personal reflection to professionalism. While service leaders are not expected to attend all of these workshops, they are expected to complete a total of 12 by the time they finish the program. Students are encouraged to select workshops that will be most helpful in promoting their individual growth as a leader.
A minor in service leadership is earned upon completion of the requirements of the Chaifetz School's service leadership program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 200 hours of community service (with at least 100 hours at the same site) 1 | ||
| 12 leadership workshops 2 | ||
| Required Coursework 3 | ||
| BIZ 2300 | Social Change Leadership | 3 |
| BIZ 4300 | Service Leadership Capstone | 3 |
| PHIL 2050 | Ethics | 3 |
| Elective Courses 4 | 6 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Gender, Race, and Social Justice | ||
| Race and Citizenship in St. Louis History and Culture | ||
| Conflict, Social Justice and Literature | ||
| Theory and Practice of Human Rights | ||
| Theories of Justice | ||
| Civil Liberties and Civil Rights | ||
| Communism, Capitalism and Social Justice | ||
| Feminist Theory: Gender Justice | ||
| Social Policy for Social Justice | ||
Select one of the following: | ||
| Economics of Int'l Migration | ||
| Economic Development | ||
| Public Choice and Political Economy | ||
| Cultural Differences in International Business | ||
| Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| Negotiations and Conflict Resolution | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
Service leaders will apply the business theory they are learning in the classroom for the benefit of their service organization, thereby furthering the mission of the non-profit. The available service sites are diverse, and each one provides opportunities to gain meaningful leadership experience and make personal connections while serving the economically poor and marginalized of society.
- 2
Each year, several leadership workshops are offered through the service leadership program with topics ranging from humor to ethical decision making and from personal reflection to professionalism. While service leaders are not expected to attend all of these workshops, they are expected to complete a total of 12 by the time they finish the program. Students are encouraged to select workshops that will be most helpful in promoting their individual growth as a leader.
- 3
The required 15 credits of coursework may be fulfilled through normal business degree requirements.
- 4
Elective courses may be selected from an array of disciplines including American Studies, English, Political Science, Social Work, and business disciplines.
Continuation Standards
Students must maintain a minimum 2.00 grade point average (GPA) in all courses used to fulfill minor requirements. If the minor GPA falls below a 2.00, students will have one semester to increase their minor GPA to a 2.00, or they will not be allowed to enroll in 3000- and 4000-level minor courses.