MBAs embracing a future in social entrepreneurship can find inspiration in a newly established residency at the USC Marshall School of Business.
Its first resident, Jessica Jackley, is the co-founder of kiva.org, a micro-lending organization which allows users to make small loans to business owners in developing countries.
Jackley’s residency is hosted by USC Marshall’s Brittingham Lab, which provides mentorship and fellowships for students seeking to affect change. Adlai Wertman, director of the Brittingham Lab, described Jackley as a “force”.
“As more of our students and alumnae are working on building companies and organizations focused on solving the wicked problems of our generation, we want to make sure that they have access to amazing resources for advice and direction. Jessica … will be a remarkable asset to the Marshall and Trojan community,” Wertman notes.
Kiva.org serves as a model for the future of sustainable business. One of its tenets is “Lift one, lift many.” Headquartered in San Francisco, the company has a presence across the globe, including countries such as Kenya, Mongolia, Lebanon and Tajikistan. Since becoming established in 2005, Kiva has managed to secure over $880 million USD worth of loans worldwide, which is especially revealing considering the company specialized in smaller donations. Many that lend with the site are only required to lend nominal amounts to emerging businesses, even as low as $25.
Focused on a philosophy of financial inclusion, Jackley has set out to transform business models for the greater good. Her residency will offer a foundation for students seeking to do the same.
Jackley earned her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and from 2010–12 served as a visiting practitioner at Stanford’s Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society. Jackley is also a mentor for Girl Effect, an accelerator that aims to encourage young women from diverse economic and social backgrounds to create startups.