Ever since I was young, I have always been eager to explore, whether it was running outside or learning a new subject at school. Now as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, the newest thing I am exploring is career options. I constantly hear business phrases being thrown around, but one that has really caught my attention is “impact investing”.
At the Ross School of Business, there is a huge emphasis on “Business + Impact”, which means using business to build a better world.1 This was something I was not previously aware of and immediately wanted to learn more about. I attended an extracurricular event centered on Business + Impact opportunities that was offered by my Business Administration class. To say the least, I could not believe what I heard. I was astonished by the number of clubs, Detroit outreach programs, internships, courses, and institutes dedicated solely to Business + Impact. I never realized impact would be such an integral part of Michigan’s business school and I was excited to get involved.
There was one program in particular that left an impression on me – The FATE Program is a non-profit organization that provides resources and opportunities for underserved youth to embrace education and the chance to become world-class citizens, with a goal to motivate each student to graduate high school and attend college.2 I attended one of FATE’s afterschool programs focused on building high schoolers’ business skills. I worked with students on their own business plans for how they would grow their own clothing company. I was blown away by the students’ drive to succeed and their brilliant ideas. It was in this moment that I knew I was experiencing Business + Impact firsthand.
Now that I am an intern at CCM, I see how Michigan’s Business + Impact and CCM’s missions align. I believe the work done by CCM’s impact investment professionals and by Michigan students is truly making an impact on our world. After my internship at CCM, I will look to participate in more Business + Impact volunteer opportunities, to help spread awareness about impacting investing and share my experience at CCM with other students.
1 https://michiganross.umich.edu/about/business-impact
2 https://givemerit.org/pages/fate