Samford students Kayleigh Hudson, Mackenzie Fazenbaker and Madeline Allred have been recognized as Social Entrepreneurship Fellows by Brock School of Business’ social entrepreneurship program. These competitive fellowships will enhance their internship experiences as they pursue careers in the areas of nonprofit management or socially oriented business.

The social entrepreneurship program offers classes in the core business disciplines of economics, finance, accounting, management and marketing while matching a student's goal of pursuing opportunities in the business and nonprofit world dedicated to helping solving society's social problems.

According to program coordinator Jeremy Thornton, this experience is part of a comprehensive degree program designed to give the next generation of business leaders the skills required to create a better world for tomorrow.

Kayleigh Hudson from Moulton, Alabama, is a senior Brock Scholar. Her studies are focused on economics with a concentration in social entrepreneurship and nonprofit management. She is spending the fall semester in London studying community engagement.

During the summer, Hudson had the opportunity to serve as the I.T. leadership development intern for Compassion International in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Compassion is a world-wide Christian organization that helps children in poverty.

“One of the most valuable experiences of my internship with Compassion was being mentored by individuals with such great work experience and a willingness to serve others,” Hudson said. “Over the summer, I was able to work on research related to leadership and management. My experience was a dream come true!"

Hudson is continuing to work for Compassion remotely as a research analyst for the newly formed innovations team and will begin her career with the organization upon graduation.

Senior Mackenzie Fazenbaker from Franklin, Tennessee, is an accounting major with a concentration in social entrepreneurship and a minor in Latin American studies. After graduating from Samford, she plans to use her career to impact Spanish-speaking communities.

“I hope to one day start a non-profit organization in Nicaragua, a country I am very passionate about,” Fazenbaker said. “I am extremely thankful to have been granted this fellowship that will allow me to apply my accounting knowledge to help prepare tax returns for Hispanic communities being served by the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama.”

Madeline Allred, a senior from Jonesboro, Georgia, is pursuing a degree in marketing and management with a concentration in social entrepreneurship. Her immediate plans after graduation are to secure a position with Carter’s, Inc., an international toddler and children’s clothing merchandiser, in Atlanta.

“In the future, I would love to own or run a company using business as mission to help orphans and foster children domestically and internationally,” Allred said.

The Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program is funded through a grant supported by the Independent Presbyterian Church Foundation in Birmingham. 

Learn more about the social entrepreneurship concentration here.