Entrepreneurship isn’t just about making profits; it’s also about making a difference. This was the core message at the Readiness Institute’s recent Impact for Good workshop held at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. The team welcomed high schoolers from Laurel Highlands, Uniontown, Geibel Catholic, and Brownsville alongside undergraduate students from Penn State Fayette to talk about the power of entrepreneurship in reshaping our world for the better.
At the heart of the workshop was a conversation about the book, The Mission Corporation: How contemporary capitalism can change the world one business at a time, co-authored by Michael Moe and Michael Carter. In the book, the authors present a compelling argument that entrepreneurs, fueled by the entrepreneurial spirit, possess the capacity to redefine priorities and revolutionize capitalism. Their framework, “The 7 Declarations,” offers a roadmap for organizations to embrace a mission-driven approach to business.
During the workshop, students engaged in a SOLE activity — Self-Organized Learning Environment — to dig deeper into this concept. They split into smaller groups and explored one of the 7 declarations and responded to the question: “How would your assigned declaration impact good in the world?” They then presented their findings and thoughts to the larger group.
Students offered unique insights into the potential impact of these declarations, including more diverse representation in companies and decision-making, equity in pay and compensation, and emphasis on community service. Above all, each group envisioned a future where businesses prioritize purpose alongside profit.
Another key highlight of the workshop was the exploration of intrapreneurship — a model to empower employees to become innovative entrepreneurs within their organizational structures. Students learned that by nurturing an intrapreneurial culture, businesses can discover even more potential of employees and drive positive change from within.
At the end of the day, students had an opportunity to submit questions for authors and investors, Michael Moe and Michael Carter. Questions reflected a deep curiosity about the role of entrepreneurship in addressing pressing global challenges, including:
- How can we as high school students help make an impact with using the declarations and helping businesses grow?
- What was the hardest hurdle you had to overcome in your journey to being an author and/or investor?
- What are the initial actions you want to take to get high schoolers and college students to be provided with more of a voice and opportunity to improve their community, state, country, and world? How can we contribute and how will you help us to do so?
The Impact for Good workshop at Penn State Fayette left students with newfound knowledge and a renewed sense of purpose that individuals and organizations have the potential to become agents of positive change, shaping a brighter future for generations to come.
This workshop, along with several others throughout the year at Penn State campuses, was funded by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, gathering local high school and college students to explore topics in entrepreneurship, AI, future readiness, and more.
