According to Jennifer Griffin, who created the course, “It’s my favorite course of the year,” she said. “Executives of major corporations invite us into their London boardrooms to contribute to the worldwide conversation on corporate social responsibility, and they could not be more open. It’s an unforgettable experience that you just can’t teach in a classroom.” Griffin typically has a waiting list for the course, which is capped at 20 participants, and has now been expanded to Egypt and Argentina to examine corporate responsibility and social entrepreneurship, which are taught in collaboration with another GWSB professor, Ayman El Tarabishy. Highlights from the London study abroad include visits to companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, British American Tobacco, Diageo and SABMiller. “We focus on tobacco, petrochemical and alcohol companies because their survival depends on how they manage their corporate impact,” explained Griffin. “Diageo, which is the largest premium drinks company in the world, asked us to be their first focus group on attitudes toward alcohol, and they’ve already invited us to return this spring for the next stage of their research.”
Innovative course structuring is a hallmark of GWSB. The School welcomes opportunities to offer special, one-time courses, which are directly the result of GW’s special relationships within the D.C. political, financial and diplomatic communities. For example, in spring 2012, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board of Governors, delivered a series of lectures as part of a course titled, “Reflections of the Federal Reserve and its Place in Today’s Economy.” His lecture was paired with faculty lectures and study discussion labs, providing students with a firsthand look at the innerworkings of the U.S. central banking system and giving students an opportunity to inquire about the critical role of the Federal Reserve for business and society. GWSB also provides non-traditional learning opportunities for undergraduates through a program known as Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). As part of REU, faculty members submit proposals and students apply through a selective process to work one-on-one with faculty on specific projects. Many of these research opportunities address responsible business practices, such as the proposal in 2011, “Where Do Corporate Environmental Officers Come From?”
Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. The George Washington University School of Business | 2013 Report on Progress 11