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Farley + Education and Social Policy

Nov 10, 2022By Daniel P. Smith

At first glance, the student studying education or social policy and the one pursuing entrepreneurship run along different tracks.  

Education and social policy exist in well-established public environments – schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods among them.  

Entrepreneurship represents the worlds of invention and novelty. It favors creation and challenging norms. 

On that basis alone, the student interested in pursuing a career in education or social policy might overlook entrepreneurial studies and the mission these seemingly different fields share: a desire to influence the world in positive ways.  

Applying an entrepreneurial lens to a career in education or social policy positions individuals to amplify the noble-minded objectives they hold in those respective fields. Entrepreneurship empowers systems-level thinkers to think more carefully about accessibility and efficiency, to better plan outreach, and to shape more relevant programs. 

Whether students studying education and social policy eventually stand at the head of the class, sit in the boardroom, or rally support for a cause, they can use skills nurtured and developed in Farley Center courses to improve human development and learning, strengthen communities, and stimulate change in profound ways. 

 

How Farley Propels Educators and Policymakers 

In Farley courses, students studying education or social policy can develop important skills to power their professional pursuits, such as learning how to: 

 

Farley Courses for Educators and Policymakers 

Innovate for Impact (ENTREP 340) tasks students to create a venture in the social impact space using human-centered design and lean start-up principles. In addition, students can explore the following: 

 

Farley and Beyond 

 

Consultants Advising Student Enterprises (CASE) Club 

A Northwestern student organization, CASE members provide pro bono consulting services to help organizations from student clubs to local businesses and nonprofits become more efficient, active, and impactful.  

Segal Design Certificate 

Working in team-based, interdisciplinary settings, Segal Design Certificate students develop their design knowledge and skills by tackling real problems for real clients.  

Youn Impact Scholars 

The Youn Impact Scholars program supports members of the Kellogg community engaged in social innovation and committed to social impact. 

 

Alumni Spotlight 


Lucas Philips (BS ’20) 
President and CEO at Newark Auto 

The Farley Advantage: “In Farley courses centered around topics like leadership, ethics, accounting, and scrum methodology, I spent structured time on my venture (Brewbike) with experienced professors, and I received credits for it. With the additional time and resources, as well as with the support of The Garage at Northwestern, I was able to build a flourishing business that I continued with years after graduation.” 

 

Student Spotlight 


Joey Ribera (BS ’23)  

Alongside pursuing his degree in Learning and Organizational Change at Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy, Ribera has completed five different Farley courses and participated in The Garage’s 10-week Tinker Program, an incubator program for Northwestern students developing innovative projects. Ribera, who is eyeing a post-graduate career in consulting, will soon partake in Farley's Bay Area Quarter, an immersive entrepreneurial experience in San Francisco.  

The Farley Experience: “Farley has empowered me to be a better communicator, a better innovator, and a better leader overall. All of the classes I’ve had cover a range of interesting topics and have challenged me to think imaginatively in the pursuit of savvy, impactful solutions.” 

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