Social Impact Week 2025

Many MBAs start their careers in corporate roles (such as consulting, finance, or tech) to build credibility, gain experience, and pay back loans. But a corporate path doesn’t have to mean leaving purpose behind. This session explores how business professionals can apply the strategic, analytical, and operational skills they develop in the private sector to drive impact later in their careers. Attendees will learn how to stay connected to purpose in profit-driven environments and how to align long-term values with professional growth – and, if it’s the right fit, how to identify the right time to pivot to social impact later in their career.

Our MBA alumni speakers have worked in leading financial services and consulting firms, and later transitioned into mission-driven roles across the public and nonprofit sectors. They’ll share candid reflections on why they made that leap, the skills that proved most transferable, and how their time in corporate roles strengthened their ability to create meaningful change. Even if you never plan to pivot fully into social impact, the lessons from this conversation will help you become a stronger nonprofit board member, a more thoughtful steward of social causes, a more intentional donor, and a more value-driven representative for corporate social responsibility within your firm.

Co-hosted by: Nonprofit Board Fellows, Yale Philanthropy Conference, and Social Impact Consulting Club

Join us on the first evening of Social Impact Week to kick off the week right and make new friends!

Co-hosted by: Social Impact Consulting Club

What if capital could generate not just returns, but results for society? In this session, we’ll dive into the world of impact investing, where financial acumen meets measurable social and environmental outcomes. Whether it’s through ESG strategies, venture philanthropy, or blended finance, the field is redefining how markets allocate value and risk. This conversation will challenge the traditional divide between profit and purpose and show how capital can be a tool for systems-level change.

You’ll hear from investors and fund managers at the forefront of this movement, professionals who once built their careers in conventional finance and now deploy capital for good. Their stories reveal how rigorous financial analysis, risk management, and due diligence can fuel innovations that improve lives. For MBAs pursuing careers in finance, consulting, impact investing, or corporate strategy, this session offers a front-row seat to the future of finance, where purpose isn’t a trade-off, but a competitive advantage.

Co-hosted by: MENG Fund, MIINT, Impact Investing Club, Investment Management Club

Stop by the Office of Community Engagement and Dialogue's free book table to honor Social Impact Week. All books are free!

What does it take to build something that truly makes a difference? This session highlights entrepreneurs who have turned ideas into organizations that drive measurable change - from social enterprises and nonprofits to scalable ventures addressing issues like climate, education, and health. Through their stories, attendees will learn how to identify opportunities, test ideas, and mobilize resources to make an idea both impactful and sustainable.

The speakers include founders and innovators who have built mission-driven organizations from the ground up. They’ll share how they navigated uncertainty, balanced purpose with practicality, and created solutions that outlast the founder’s passion. Whether you dream of launching your own venture one day or bringing fresh thinking into a large company, this session will leave you inspired to take your next bold step in translating purpose into action.

Co-hosted by: Social Impact Lab and Startup and Entrepreneurship Club

The panel features leaders who apply technology to advance public good in different ways. One builds products that help millions of families navigate and access critical government benefits, while another works to improve how governments use digital tools to meet citizen needs. Together, they will discuss how MBAs can use their skills to make technology more inclusive and impactful across both the public and private sectors.

This session explores how innovation, data, and design thinking are helping both public institutions and mission-driven enterprises operate more efficiently and equitably. Attendees will gain insight into how technology can create stronger systems that serve people more effectively, whether through digital modernization or community-centered innovation.

Co-hosted by: Business & Politics Club, Tech & Society Club