COBA is presenting students with an opportunity to earn credit this coming Jan. A 3-hour credit class is being offered Jan. 6-10, 2014, in Dallas and is open to any majors. There are no prerequisites required to enroll.

Management 320, taught by Dr. Laura Phillips, assistant professor of management sciences, will be available as a short-course at CitySquare in Dallas. The focus of the course is social entrepreneurship, an approach to business as a social mission. Students will learn aspects of running both for-profit and non-profit businesses that, first and foremost, seek to help others.

The course will be a great tool for equipping students with everything it takes to operate a successful business with a bigger mission than just bringing in revenue.

This will be the first time the class has been taught outside of Abilene and in a short-course format. Phillips hopes to bring in many different speakers from the Metroplex area to address different topics in regard to the class’s approach to business.

“There are more choices for guest speakers, but I have less connections there. Finding these speakers will be the biggest challenge,” she said.

This missional outlook on entrepreneurship is synonymous with the work of CitySquare. CitySquare exists “to fight the root causes of poverty by partnering with those in need. Working together as a community, we feed the hungry, heal the sick, house the homeless and renew hope in the heart of our city [Dallas],” according to the mission statement on their website. Though the class won’t have a project to directly work with CitySquare during the course, the model of CitySquare will provide a source of inspiration for up and coming social entrepreneurs.

Phillips says the course would be a great option for anyone interested in non-profit work, or could be particularly appealing to business, Bible or social work majors.

Details are still being finalized with CitySquare, but COBA wants students to be aware of this opportunity as they start to plan their course schedules for next semester.

Students interested in signing up for the class can email griggscenter@acu.edu for further information and updates on registering.