Social entrepreneurship is a strategy for systemic change.

With some clear ideas on social entrepreneurship, Alastair Wilson writes in the Stanford Social Innovation Review,

There are huge opportunities for universities to make immensely valuable contributions to the social impact sector. Universities are a powerful tool for grooming the next generation of social scientists, policymakers, business leaders, civil servants, and professionals. And every social enterprise needs an army of well-educated employees—marketing directors, accountants, and others—who have earned a university degree.

But the learning of social entrepreneurs is a different matter. I believe these individuals learn most effectively outside the walls of universities, in practical ways that are not traditionally academic. And for social change to happen on a wide scale, we need to welcome people from all backgrounds to become social entrepreneurs—something universities, in their current form, simply can’t do.

Or can they? In a previous article on famvin.org, we noted a challenge that has been laid at the feet of the Vincentian Family:

Can you design a replicable model of a social business that creates at least ten jobs for individuals living in poverty? That is the challenge! On September 23, 2011, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was honored with the St. Vincent de Paul Award by DePaul University in recognition of his leadership in the development and implementation of the concept of microcredit, which has revolutionized support for people living in poverty throughout the world.

There are lots of Vincentians of Wherever who have graduated or are current students at our universities. There are lots of professors and administrators who devote their energies to creatively carrying out the Vincentian mission.

Read this entire article by Alastair Wilson. What do you think? What was or is your experience? Comment here and comment on the article at SSIR. Or tweet at @SSIReview and include @famvin. Join the conversation!