Social Leadership (because sometimes, the world just sucks!)

The Business & Tourism department at MSVU is a community of people, experiences, opinions and voices. Our blog will reflect that community with the inclusion of guest bloggers who have stories to share of value to our community.

Today's blogger is Professor Ryan MacNeil, our newest faculty member in the Department of Business & Tourism & Hospitality Management.
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SOMETIMES, THE WORLD JUST SUCKS!
(...AND THAT’S WHY WE NEED SOCIAL LEADERS LIKE YOU!)

This fall, the Department of Business & Tourism is launching a new campus-wide social leadership program, open to all Mount students. The program is a hands-on chance to lead positive change in the world.

We’re offering a social leadership certificate that will look great on your resumé. But we’re hoping that the bigger reason you’ll want to join the program is to have an impact on society.

To earn the “year 1” social leadership certificate, you will complete 15 hours of volunteer work, participate in two professional development activities (including our social enterprise conference in February), and work with a team of your friends to run a social project in the community. At the end of next term, you’ll document your social impact “portfolio-style”.

As a new Assistant Professor here at the Mount, I’m excited to be leading this program. We’ll meet every other week for an hour to discuss social leadership and make plans for our projects. A preliminary drop-in information session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26 from 2-3 pm in Seton room 404. If you can’t attend, you can contact me for more information or to join the group. Reach me via email (ryan.macneil@msvu.ca) or twitter (@ryanmacneil).

Third person alternative:

The program is being led by our new full-time professor, Ryan MacNeil. We’ll meet every other Wednesday for an hour to discuss social leadership and make plans for our projects. . A preliminary drop-in information session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26 from 2-3 pm in Seton room 404. To sign up, or get more information you can email (ryan.macneil@msvu.ca) or tweet (@ryanmacneil) to Professor MacNeil.

Caritas Day 2012

This Wednesday, we are once again celebrating Caritas Day at the Mount. 

The annual day of giving was established by the Sisters of Charity in response to the incredible community response and support after the campus fire in 1951. ‘Caritas’ aptly means providing selfless love & compassion for one’s neighbours; it is a day to break from our classes and give back to our community in both intent and action.

Last year, over 60 students and faculty from the Business & Tourism department volunteered their time and effort in service. We made sandwiches & cookies for local homeless shelters. As well, we ran a food drive that filled our own on-campus food bank.

This year, we’re back at it again! Here’s the PLAN:

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.—Free Breakfast at Vinnie’s Pub in Rosaria Student Centre

10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.—Volunteer Activities (more info below)

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.—Free Pizza Lunch at Vinnie’s Pub in Rosaria Student Centre

Half of the volunteers will complete a door-to-door food drive in the area in support of the Mount Students Union Food Bank which assists Mount students in need. The second half of the volunteers will visit the Sisters of Charity Centre and volunteer with the Sisters and staff to prepare food for a local Halifax homeless shelter or participate in a workshop on volunteerism.

If you cannot participate in this event, we ask that you please drop off a non-perishable food item to the MSVU Food Resource Center (Rosaria—Information Desk) during the week of January 23-27.

For more information or to RSVP to this event please email us at business@msvu.ca.

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