Bachelor of Science in Social Impact and Entrepreneurship
A degree from Lynn University in collaboration with Watson Institute.
APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM
Application deadlines:
Early Action I: complete application by November 15th, 2022
Early Action II: complete application by January 15th, 2023
Regular decision: complete application by March 1st, 2023
Rolling admissions: applications completed after March 1st, 2023, are reviewed on a rolling basis
Major in your mission.
The revolutionary Bachelor of Science in Social Impact and Entrepreneurship from Lynn University, in collaboration with Watson Institute, is built for students to major in their mission, gain experience as interns with leading organizations in their field, and develop a skill set necessary to create impactful, successful careers.
Watson Institute at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL, brings together a cohort of innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs from across the globe to build careers that align with their values and contribute to solving the toughest challenges facing the world. Through interactive courses, intensive mentorship, and a powerful, diverse community of peers, students and alumni launch lives of impact.
Get in contact with a team member and learn more
Courses
Interactive courses are led by impact-driven professionals combined with Lynn University’s innovative Dialogues Core Curriculum
Mentorship
Every student is paired with mentors that align with their mission, challenge assumptions, contribute valuable perspective, and expand their network.
Community
Students join a diverse cohort with members from every corner of the globe, a variety of experiences, and a common goal to impact the world.
Hands-on and interactive courses
The Bachelor of Science in Social Impact and Entrepreneurship at Lynn University consists of hands-on, interactive courses that focus on a range of hard and soft skills critical to entrepreneurship and impact. As part of Lynn’s College of Business and Management, students will also take business courses, such as Project Management and Principles of Economics, and complete the nationally recognized Dialogues core curriculum.
The curriculum is geared towards preparing students with the skills and experience to design and lead impactful, successful careers. This one-of-a-kind program can be completed in as little as three years. Below you will find a sample of the kind of courses that students complete during the first year of the program:
Leap of Faith
The highly experiential Leap of Faith curriculum focuses on the soft skills and personal development at the core of Watson Institute’s curriculum including: courage, resilience, creativity, grit, leadership, and transformative communication. Transformative Action guides students through the process of overcoming key challenges faced during the process of building a venture and becoming transformative leaders. The course is based on the principles of the Transformative Action Institute and is highly interactive, experiential, and dynamic.
Apprenticing with a Problem
Apprenticing with a Problem is structured as a series of challenges that lead students to identify and create solutions and harness self identified growth areas to further advance their mission.
Impact Gap Canvas
Impact Gap Canvas helps students map the key organizations, initiatives, people, and efforts in their field. Created by Daniela Papi-Thornton’s research, the Impact Gap Canvas is a tool used to understand the landscape of a problem identify gaps where individuals can contribute to a solution.
Transformative Entrepreneurship
Transformative Entrepreneurship is designed to equip students with the tools needed to build ventures. It focuses on foundational skills including: fundraising, finance, rapid prototyping, customer discovery, problem solving, and human centered design.
In addition to the courses outlined above, students join a tailored and interactive Impact Series from a seasoned entrepreneur or leader who is invited to campus each week.
Impact Series
We have the privilege to host some of the world’s foremost leaders, entrepreneurs, and practitioners to deliver Impact Series, 30 highly interactive workshops, and 1-on-1 mentorship sessions each year, with the Watson Scholars. Individuals who have led Impact Series in the past include:
Jamie Citron
Jamie is the Director of Development Strategy for the Obama Foundation and previous to that was a Deputy Director for the White House.
He has over 14 years of experience in mission-driven organizations building, improving and managing teams to grow impact. On campaigns and at nonprofit organizations, Jamie creates strong coalitions to implement innovative programs based on clear metrics and purposeful goals.
Felecia Hatcher
Felecia is on a mission to rid communities of innovation deserts by working with community leaders and government officials to create inclusive and diverse tech/startup ecosystems as the Co-Founder of Code Fever, Black Tech Week and Tribe Cowork and Urban Innovation Lab.
She has raised over 3 million dollars to support Code Fever’s work which sits at the intersection of economic development and inclusive innovation.
Chad Bernstein
Chad is the co-founder and CEO of Guitars Over Guns Organization, a music-mentoring program for at-risk youth; he has a doctorate from the University of Miami and teaches trombone and jazz arranging at FIU.
He is an active member of the South Florida music scene as a multi-instrumentalist, band leader, sideman, and writer, and has worked with Pharrell, will.i.am, Pitbull, Shakira, Natalie Cole, Chaka Kahn, John Legend, and many more.
Boca Raton, Florida
Watson Scholars at Lynn University earn their degree while participating and engaging with all that the campus offers. Boca Raton is located in southeast Florida, which also incorporates the cities of Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, all growing tech and entrepreneurship hubs.
Students are connected to local mentors, practitioners, and entrepreneurs and integrate in the fast-growing entrepreneurship community in the region. While on campus, students also:
- Cheer on 19 athletic teams: Learn more >
- Live the Lynn lifestyle with on-campus housing: Learn more >
- Choose from more than 30 student clubs: Learn more >
The Cohort
Students experience their education as a close-knit cohort, collaborating with future leaders from all over the world. What they have in common is grit, idealism, and a drive to leave the world better than they found it. Students can get involved in the Lynn’s student government, participate in unique programs such as Lynn’s Ambassador Corps, lead on-campus initiatives like Net Impact’s Up To Us, attend global conferences like Opportunity Collaboration and University of Oxford’s Map the System, and implement on-the-ground projects in places like Hispaniola.
Highlights include:
- Tailored mentorship by industry leaders and entrepreneurs across South Florida.
- A platform to develop, design, and implement impact-driven projects and ventures.
- Learning the ropes of impact and entrepreneurship from practitioners.
- Engaging in challenges and workshops led by thought leaders.
Lynn University and Watson Institute collaboration
Lynn University and Watson Institute work together because we believe that to solve the toughest challenges facing the world, we must equip the next generation with the necessary tools, network, mindset, and courage to unleash a lifetime of impact.
Watson Institute first aligned with Lynn in October 2014. In August 2018, Watson and Lynn welcomed a pioneering class of gritty idealists to participate in a one-of-a-kind Bachelor of Science in Social Impact and Entrepreneurship.
Why Lynn University?
- Lynn University is named as one of the most innovative and diverse universities in the nation. See more here >
- Lynn’s Social Impact Lab offers incredible opportunities such as Ambassador Corps to all Lynn students
- Lynn’s J-Term offers for-credit, hands-on Citizenship experiences for all students
- Lynn’s approach of intellectual exploration through dialogue and experience leads to transformative conversations and focus on pressing global discussions
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COLLABORATION
Is this program for you?
This program is for students that have a strong passion and commitment to make a difference in the world. The right candidate has agency in their own development, a growth mindset with a healthy dose of curiosity, and a passion for impact and systemic change.
Ideal candidates have a passion for a particular issue or set of challenges but is not sure on how to tackle them. This program is built for students looking to launch a multi-layered career with impact at its core and provides training in business and entrepreneurship.
Prospective Students Page
What is the cost of the program?
Watson Institute and Lynn University offer various scholarships that students may qualify and apply for. The Watson Scholarship award process begins after the students have been interviewed and admitted into the program.
Learn more about tuition costs for the program below:
Learn more about Lynn University tuition
