Social Entrepreneurship
As a social entrepreneurship major at Rollins, you’ll learn how to apply business solutions to tackle challenging social, economic, and environmental problems around the world. Our program joins the top 5% of business programs worldwide with AACSB accreditation.
Through real-world projects, you’ll gain a strong foundation in business, entrepreneurial thinking, creativity and action, leadership and teamwork, cutting-edge problem-solving, and deep understanding of current economic, political, cultural, and environmental issues.
Along the way, you’ll hone your changemaking skills and business acumen by partnering with our network of social entrepreneurs and CEOs of for-profit and nonprofit organizations. And you’ll be positioned to find—or create—a career that you’re passionate about with a focus on people, planet, and profit, where solutions are effective, innovative, and financially sustainable.
Learn more about social entrepreneurship's accreditations.
AACSB accreditation is the benchmark of quality business education worldwide.
PRME affiliation demonstrates commitment to international principles of responsible management education.
Rollins is 1 of 46 colleges in the world to be an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus, illustrating our international leadership in social entrepreneurship education.
Why Study Social Entrepreneurship at Rollins
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Be a Global Leader
Rollins is the first Ashoka U Changemaker campus in Florida, and our social entrepreneurship major is the first in the world accredited by AACSB International, the highest standard for global business education.
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Gain Hands-on Experience
Through everything from faculty-led field studies and pitch competitions to internships and community engagement initiatives, you’ll develop your capacity to address the 21st century’s greatest challenges.
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Use Business to Change the World
Our interdisciplinary approach helps you translate business skills and a knowledge of social issues into making a meaningful difference in the world while cultivating a productive career.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Guide Us
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 ways to make the world a better place. They are a universal call to action. framing our curriculum and helping our Social Entrepreneurship major address the pressing challenges of today and tomorrow, from poverty and hunger to pollution and climate change. This prepares you to be part of the new generation of leaders taking action. You will gain valuable skills such as problem mapping, systems thinking, and impact measurement. You’ll also learn about strategies that organizations can employ to align their operations with the SDGs. The world is changing, and as a Social Entrepreneurship graduate, you’ll know how to apply your business skills to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.
Interested in Studying Social Entrepreneurship at Rollins?
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“Throughout the courses in my major, I was able to create new business ideas and make them come to life. I gained knowledge of critical entrepreneurial skills like creativity, leadership, teamwork, and innovation. I truly believe that my experience at Rollins in the social entrepreneurship major helped me step outside my comfort zone and be able to take my talents to the technology field.”
Rollins Social Entrepreneurship Careers
Yes, you can build a successful career while loving what you do. More and more, companies are seeking employees who possess the kind of social, entrepreneurial, and business skills that you’ll develop at Rollins. Learn more about careers in social entrepreneurship.
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Travis Strote ’17
Founder, Yogavated Athletics
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Ha Vu ’20
Founder, Senna Wellness Retreat
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Matt Tulley ’17
Real Estate Asset Manager, Coldwell Banker
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Jorge Morejon ’18
Sales Executive, ClearCompany Talent Management Software
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Chelsea Reed ’17
Relationship Manager, Community Engagement, Addition Financial
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Chase Everett ’19
Management Consulting Analyst, Accenture Federal Services
Real World Experience
Hone your skills by partnering with innovative organizations in our backyard and around the world. Learn more about careers in social entrepreneurship.
Business for Social Change
Learn in-demand business skills and create social impact as a social entrepreneurship major at Rollins College.
Social Enterprises Are All Around Us
Explore examples of some of the most successful social enterprises while understanding how a Rollins social entrepreneurship degree can support your own goals.
Example Organizations
Apply By February 1
No app fee. No formal essay or test scores required. Automatic consideration for scholarships that range from $15,000 to $32,000. It’s never been easier or more rewarding to apply to Rollins. Don't wait: apply by February 1.
Start Your ApplicationPopular Courses
As internationally recognized leaders in social entrepreneurship education, we realize that global problems cannot be addressed from a single lens. Our interdisciplinary business curriculum affords you the flexibility to meet your goals in a changing, diverse world.
SE 100 Social Entrepreneurship: Leading Change
Explore social entrepreneurship by applying essential business skills to solve global and local social, economic, and environmental problems that you are passionate about. Enhance critical entrepreneurial skills such as creativity, innovation, risk-taking, problem-solving, and teamwork.
SE 220 Global Development Challenges & Opportunities
From poverty and health to environment and education, learn about international development challenges and how social enterprise strategies address them. Showcase the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in a public poster session.
SE 305 Social Entrepreneurship Marketing
Examine marketing strategies and create marketing plans for social enterprises, nonprofits, and socially responsible businesses, Evaluate opportunity-risk recognition, product development, pricing, promotion, distribution, and marketing communications.
SE 320 Strategies for Changemakers
Apply Lean Startup business and entrepreneurship methodologies to solve pressing real world social or environmental problems. Deepen analytical skills; gain expertise in interviewing and networking; create business ideas; and reach advanced proficiency with Business Model Canvas in an experiential learning environment.
SE 345 Financing Social Entrepreneurship
Investigate opportunities for financing social enterprises, including loans, venture capital, and grants. Learn to assess and structure investment readiness for social enterprises, create financial projections, and measure social impact.
SE 440 Planning & Implementing for Social Entrepreneurship
Navigate decision points faced by social enterprises as they move from startup to maturity, and learn how to formulate and implement strategy to successfully scale operations.
Beyond the Classroom
Global Experience To change the world, you need to engage it. From studying community development in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro to exploring conservation in a Costa Rican rainforest, you’ll choose from more than 90 extraordinary study-abroad experiences.
Going All In From addressing access to safe drinking water in the Dominican Republic to helping preserve one of America’s most dramatic landscapes, Rollins’ Immersion experiences allow students to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues through journeys of education, reflection, and action.
Put Your Ideas to Work in the World Develop marketing plans for socially responsible businesses. Consult for local nonprofits. Implement educational projects for underprivileged children. You’ll hone your skills and expertise while collaborating with a range of community partners to make a positive impact in your backyard and beyond.
On-Campus Impact You won't need to travel far to make an impact by getting involved in the many student organizations related to social entrepreneurship on campus.
Dive Into Social Entrepreneurship at Rollins
Explore more about what it will be like to major in social entrepreneurship at Rollins.
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What You Will Learn
Focusing on business for social change, the department has designed a curriculum showing you how to apply business skills, entrepreneurial thinking, and cutting-edge problem solving methodologies to tackle local or global social, economic, and environmental issues.
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Study Business Not As Usual
Majoring in social entrepreneurship you'll learn the business of changing the world. See real-world projects, pitch competitions, and networking opportunities available to you at Rollins.
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You'll Make A Global Impact
The department is committed to having all social entrepreneurship majors graduate with an experience of learning in another country, increasing awareness by engaging with other communities.
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Community Impact
From local to global, Rollins' Immersion experiences are great opportunities to gain real-world experience addressing problems. Explore the various ways Rollins and social entrepreneurship can help you make an impact in your community.
Become a Changemaker at The Social Impact Hub
Put what you are learning in your social entrepreneurship classes to work through human- and equity-centered problem-solving at Rollins' Social Impact Hub.
Explore the HubKeep Exploring
Take a deeper dive into social entrepreneurship at Rollins by meeting your future professors, seeing our grads in action, and sitting in on a class.
December 02, 2025
DeFabio ’18 Wins National Award for Young Business Person of the Year
Claudia DeFabio ’18 was recently recognized as the U.K.’s Young Business Person of the Year.
October 06, 2025
Barry ’24 Joins National Cohort of NobleReach Scholars
Lauren Barry ’24 has been named a NobleReach Scholar, joining an elite national cohort of recent graduates tackling public challenges through tech-driven innovation.
October 03, 2025
Zhang and Salerno sisters ’27 Publish Research on AI
Rollins sisters Emma Salerno ’27 and Kate Salerno ’27 joined forces with communication professor Ruonan Zhang to publish a study on how AI shapes the effectiveness of nonprofit marketing.
Honors in the Major
Graduate with honors as a social entrepreneurship major through a society or a thesis project.
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Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society
The exclusive academic honor society associated with AACSB-International. The top 10% of junior and senior social entrepreneurship majors are eligible for consideration.
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Sigma Nu Tau Honor Society
The only national honor society dedicated to entrepreneurship through the practice of principled entrepreneurship, which maximizes long-term profitability for businesses by creating value in society while acting with integrity.
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Honors in the Major
Receive honors in the major by completing an independent research project or thesis during your senior year under the supervision of a three-member committee.
Expert Faculty
Our professors represent a cross-section of academic disciplines, from anthropology and computer science to social entrepreneurship and environmental studies.
Department of Social Entrepreneurship
Telephone:407.646.1588
Fax:
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Walter Mswaka, PhD
Associate Professor of Social Entrepreneurship
Research interests: Social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, business strategy, non-governmental organizations (NGO)
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Andrea Samaniego Díaz, PhD
Assistant Professor of Social Entrepreneurship
Research interests: Social entrepreneurship, women’s entrepreneurship, base of the pyramid, and sustainability, with emphasis on Latin American studies.
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Tonia Warnecke, PhD
George D. and Harriet W. Cornell Department Chair of Social Entrepreneurship
Research interests: Social entrepreneurship, international development, social impact business models, gender, microfinance, technology, and sustainability
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Aycha Williams, MBA
Visiting Professor of Social Entrepreneurship
Research interests: Social entrepreneurship, community engagement, corporate wellness, entrepreneurial marketing, corporate marketing, and sales
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Beatriz Canamary, EDBA
Adjunct Professor of Social Entrepreneurship
Research interests: Circular economy & sustainable supply chains, responsible sourcing, systems thinking, tech-enabled impact (AI, digital twins, blockchain), carbon assessment
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Ahmed Kamel, EDBA
Adjunct Professor of Social Entrepreneurship
Research interests: System thinking for sustainable innovation, social impact of 3D printing and artificial intelligence, and innovation acceleration with artificial intelligence
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Yasmin Mesbah, MBA
Adjunct Professor of Social Entrepreneurship
Research interests: Corporate social responsibility, multi-sector partnerships, program design & execution, strategy development, stakeholder engagement
