University of Chicago’s Booth Weekend MBA Program will be offering eight full tuition scholarships yearly to professionals in the nonprofit and government fields. This move underscores the new interest in investing in the social sectors by business schools.
The Civic Scholars Program was announced last week and is partially funded by a $4 million grant from the Neubauer Family Foundation. The students will be known as Neubauer Civic Scholars, and will continue full-time in their present jobs while participating in the program.

The scholars will have all the same curriculum requirements as their fellow Weekend MBA Program students, but with additional courses designed specifically for their program. They will be able to work in small teams on research and consulting projects for the social sector and for government organizations, including their own. Candidates will often have six to ten years of professional experience.
Booth announced that the program

“…will bring important voices to the classroom and community by providing broader perspectives on issues such as understanding the role of business in society, the implications of expanding public-private partnerships, and the opportunities for business leaders to engage productively with government and nonprofit organizations.”