• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership under the direction of two Rowan faculty members, one with expertise in mechanical/bioengineering as well as in artificial intelligence’s intersection with accounting. The other faculty member supervises an interdisciplinary BA program between the School of Business and School of Earth and Environment at Rowan and is a sustainability expert serving on multiple environmental commissions and committees for various stakeholders in the state of New Jersey. Both faculty members have extensive experience presenting at conferences, researching, and publishing.  
• The lead Rowan faculty members for the project are interested in exploring and answering the question: How can we develop AI tools to assist with sustainability assessment and reporting and get businesses to actually use them? They seek a Fellow with experience in or knowledge of AI and/or large language models (LLMs) or a passionate curiosity for them, as well as for finding business applications for their use. The project leads are willing to mentor a Fellow who has synchronous areas of interest and/or related career goals. The project offers hands-on experience in multidisciplinary research, fostering skills in data analysis, AI model development, and stakeholder engagement. 
• Fellow to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration for the integration of ethical considerations into AI models, ensuring sustainability reporting tools align with global sustainability standards and ethical norms. Fellow to collect data, develop and refine models within an AI platform, and assist with drafting research papers and presentations. Fellow will conduct outreach efforts to connect the team with industry partners for collaborations. 
• This initiative has the potential for the Fellow to incorporate a dimension of their own interest area to the project, e.g., developing a panel or event related to the topic that also advances the Fellow’s own career or goals. 
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Rowan’s campus in Glassboro.  
• Great for candidates interested in bridging technological innovation with sustainability challenges and driving advancements in corporate transparency. Also suited for candidates interested in leveraging AI to advance environmental stewardship, sustainable business strategies in accounting/reporting, and management consulting. 

• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership under the direction of two Rowan faculty members, one with expertise in sustainability, the other with expertise in behavioral economics, and both with an extensive and impressive record of research, publication, grant awards, and public speaking engagements. The leading Rowan faculty members for the project are willing to mentor an MBA Fellow with synchronous areas of interest and/or related career goals. Project components focus on investigating methods of inspiring and expanding sustainability in the golf industry, in the sense of urging facilities to adopt sustainability practices and motivating golfers to seek out such courses.
• Fellow will assist in conducting interviews, creating surveys, collecting/analyzing data, as well as drafting research papers and presentations and disseminating findings. Fellow will investigate potential industry partners and help initiate connections for future collaboration.
• This initiative has the potential for the Fellow to incorporate a dimension of their own interest area to the project, e.g., developing a panel or event related to the topic that also advances the Fellow’s own career or goals.
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Rowan’s campus in Glassboro. Fellow may be required to attend off-campus site visits and/or networking events at various locations.
• Great for candidates interested in academic research, sustainability and sports, tourism industry, nature preservation/conservation, data analytics and business development, corporate social responsibility, environmental and social stewardship, and socially responsible marketing.

• Work on this initiative to be conducted under the direction of a Rowan faculty member with expertise in marketing research, marketing management and strategy, services marketing, and sales management, as well as a faculty member at DePaul University with expertise in consumer-based strategy, crisis management and consumer neuroscience. Project components focus on the second phase of a marketing research study currently under peer review that examines how companies’ responses to negative online reviews (electronic word of mouth, i.e., eWOM) affect consumer choices and perceptions and thus impact profitability. The current study aims to impact consumer empowerment outcomes (e.g., increase confidence in purchase decisions), examine social dynamics (e.g., consumer influence over the products or services other customers choose), and to make policy recommendations to protect consumers and companies in the online space (e.g., promoting transparency, fairness, and accountability in online interactions and safeguarding against false information). 
• Fellow will assist in investigating different elements of customer reviews (length of review, tone, etc.) and the firm’s response, and how these elements affect third party readers’ emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses. Methodology may include both qualitative and quantitative elements and involve basic and advanced data analyses techniques and programs. Fellow will assist in conducting interviews, creating surveys, collecting/analyzing data, as well as disseminating findings via reports and scholarly presentations. 
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Rowan’s campus in Glassboro. Fellow may be required to attend university sponsored research events (e.g., faculty-research day) and may be offered the opportunity to attend professional marketing conferences. 
• Great for candidates interested in market research, marketing strategy, brand management, services marketing, consumer purchase decisions, eWOM (electronic word of mouth), online customer reviews, digital marketing, social media impact, customer experience, customer relations, consumer protection, social and economic equity, small business protections, data analysis and interpretation, academic research and writing. 

• Work on this social impact project is in collaboration with Gateway Community Action Partnership (CAP), a nonprofit organization serving as the designated community action agency for Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland counties. Recently, Gateway CAP secured a Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Grant from the Regional Foundation to facilitate the creation of a comprehensive revitalization plan for the Borough of Paulsboro. Employing a resident-driven approach, this endeavor aims to develop a community roadmap deeply rooted in historical context, contemporary realities, and the lived experiences of neighborhood residents. Throughout the planning processes, a dedicated focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging (DEIAB) will be consistently applied. With a track record spanning over two decades, Gateway CAP has forged a meaningful partnership with the Regional Foundation (formerly the Wells Fargo Foundation), engaging in successful neighborhood revitalization initiatives across the region.
• Fellows will to provide project assistant services supporting the Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Process. The consultancy services may involve researching business development cases in comparable communities, participating in the resident engagement process (data collection, data interpretation, meeting coordination, survey development, survey dissemination, etc.), and conducting and analyzing assessments of gathered data. Fellow will contribute to mapping out targeted outcomes, goals, and objectives to inform the development of a cohesive strategy. Fellow may also support in facilitating early-stage preparations for implementation, evaluation, and ongoing engagement.
• Collaboration on this initiative will involve a blend of virtual and in-person activities. On-site project work will take place at various locations, including Gateway CAP's main office in Bridgeton and satellite office in Paulsboro. In-person engagement is anticipated during community events in Paulsboro and within the premises of the Gill Memorial Public Library in Paulsboro.
• Great for candidates with an interest in social justice, economic justice, economic development, fundraising, philanthropy, health and wellness, supporting underserved communities, historic preservation, public education, community engagement, grant writing, native plants, sustainability in gardening, urban planning, community development, and public policy.

• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership and a recently formed Historic Preservation Commission in a disadvantaged community in Gloucester County, NJ. The primary goals of the Commission are historic preservation, community engagement, and economic development. 
• Fellow to lead consultative process to build and refine strategic and operational planning and implementation efforts for the Commission. Fellow will synthesize intelligence gathered; identify tools, approaches, and funding sources; and outline action plans to explore economically viable and sustainable initiative scoping and implementation. Fellow consultation services might include gathering insights from stakeholder groups such as Commission members, Mayor and Town Council, local community leaders, established Commissions in the region, and potential partners in state and private grant agencies. 
• This initiative focus can expand to the creation of a "Friends of the Commission" Foundation to serve as a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization to coordinate fundraising, advocacy, institutional partnerships, and volunteer efforts for education-related initiatives aimed to benefit the home community of the Commission.
• Fellow work on this initiative will be virtual for both Rowan and the Commission with the potential for work to be done on Rowan’s campus in Glassboro and at the public library in the Commission’s community. 
• Great for candidates interested in social justice, economic justice, economic development, fundraising, historic preservation, community engagement, grant writing, native plants and sustainability in gardening, impact to local communities. 

Experienced Fellows with a proven track record are invited to work with their mentors to create their own custom-built Social Impact Project (SIP). RCB encourages potential Fellows to pitch a custom-built SIP during the application process, though it is not a requirement for the Fellowship.  

See the FAQs page for more information on custom-built SIPs. 

• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership and an education foundation in a disadvantaged community in Gloucester County, NJ. The mission of the education foundation is to enhance and enrich teaching and learning in the home community’s three Pre-K–12 public schools to help prepare and inspire the academic pursuits of all students from preschool through graduation. The education foundation is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization. The foundation is separate from the school district but exists for the sole purpose of providing resources to maintain and improve school programs. The foundation coordinates fundraising, advocacy, institutional partnerships, and volunteer efforts for education-related initiatives aimed to benefit students.
• Fellow will lead a consultative process to build and refine strategic and operational planning and implementation efforts for the foundation. A focus for this initiative will be to expand and formalize a fundraising and grant-seeking plan that includes corporate, government, and community outreach.
• Fellow work on this initiative will be virtual for both Rowan and the education foundation with the potential for work to be done on Rowan’s campus in Glassboro and at the public library in the education foundation’s community. 
• Great for candidates interested in social justice, economic justice, economic development, fundraising, public education, community engagement, grant writing, and impact to local communities. 

• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Tix For Good, a NJ-based LLC, operating through a fiscal sponsorship with Players Philanthropy Fund, a 501(C)(3), that provides nonprofits with a streamlined and robust fundraising avenue. 
• Fellow to become an engaged team member to support the development and expansion strategy for a startup organization whose mission is to amplify and advance fundraising opportunities for nonprofit organizations.  
• Project components will include conducting market research, benchmarking, and intelligence gathering to better understand trends and best practices in philanthropic giving that might help to refine or expand current organizational offerings. Serving as an Ambassador, the Fellow will help foster meaningful connections with both nonprofit and corporate leaders while attending charity events such as golf tournaments, 5K runs, galas, and dinner parties as well as professional networking events and nonprofit conferences. Whether welcoming nonprofits as partners to support in fundraising needs or corporations as sponsors, Fellow will help strategically position this startup organization as a bridge between the nonprofit and for-profit sectors and in marketing sponsoring brands across various channels of new media (social media, email, website, podcasts, etc.) and in-person events. 
• Fellow work on this initiative will be a mix of virtual and on-site. Fellow will sometimes work at the Tix For Good office and will attend off-site events at various locations.
• Great for candidates interested in fundraising, nonprofit causes, philanthropy, applied research, grant writing, corporate social responsibility, environmental and social stewardship, community engagement, and impact to local communities. 

• While this project is in progress, future projects in this area of interest may be available for future Fellowships.   
• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that provides support to families in end-of-life care in comfort and dignity through a myriad of services and a team of experts including physicians, nurses, social workers, certified home health aides, spiritual support counselors, bereavement counselors, and volunteers.  
• Fellow to design and construct a backend website database that engages community members as well as partners across multiple sectors—social work, physicians, hospice care providers, and other healthcare resources—to better target health and wellness needs in the surrounding area. Fellow will act as lead architect, conceptualizing, developing, and strategizing all aspects of the database, while incorporating data collection components for analysis and implementation. 
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Samaritan’s corporate offices.  
• Great for candidates interested in social services, data collection, socially impactful technology and data analytics, health and wellness, supporting underserved communities, and social and economic equity.  

• While this project is in progress, future projects in this area of interest may be available for future Fellowships.   
• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that provides support to families in end-of-life care in comfort and dignity through a myriad of services and a team of experts including physicians, nurses, social workers, certified home health aides, spiritual support counselors, bereavement counselors, and volunteers.  
• Fellow to aggregate census statistics, covering a myriad of interlinking topics and perspectives, to conduct analysis and create documentation to help with an internal assessment of whether vital healthcare services are reaching those that need them most. Fellow will use census data to help determine deficits in services awareness within the community and expand visibility in target areas where accessibility to services is lacking.
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Samaritan’s corporate offices. 
• Great for candidates interested in data collection, socially impactful technology and data analytics, health and wellness, supporting underserved communities, and social and economic equity.  

• While this project is in progress, future projects in this area of interest may be available for future Fellowships.   
• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that provides support to families in end-of-life care in comfort and dignity through a myriad of services and a team of experts including physicians, nurses, social workers, certified home health aides, spiritual support counselors, bereavement counselors, and volunteers. The focus of the project is a training initiative to assist senior executives in supporting and optimizing designated staff’s organizational capacities. 
• Fellow to design a customized introductory course in project management—including quizzes, case studies, and other auxiliary materials, and deliver its instruction in 1-hour classes over a four-to-five-week period. The “Better Practices” course will ultimately be published as a workbook the client can reuse for future training initiatives. Fellow will deliver a final report and any necessary coursework templates, also for the client’s permissible use. Fellow to retain all copyrights of curriculum, auxiliary instructional materials/templates, and deliverable workbook. Fellow will work closely with staff trainees in the role of facilitator, providing valuable feedback, evaluations, and other communications as needed. 
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Samaritan’s corporate offices.  
• Great for candidates interested in business curriculum designing and instruction, publishing, organizational leadership, health and wellness, supporting underserved communities, social and economic equity, and human resources optimization.  

• While this project is in progress, future projects in this area of interest may be available for future Fellowships.  
• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Rowan’s and the Bullock Garden Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowerment and education with a focus on historically marginalized communities and communities with high rates of poverty. Bullock Garden Project has helped numerous organizations, schools and local governments with garden development, education and planning. 
• Fellow leads consultative process to refine strategic and operational planning for a nonprofit whose organizational mission and goals include creating sustainable agriculture while incorporating garden education and building community sustainability awareness. Project components include market scans and benchmarking, SWOT analysis, and evaluating opportunities for growth and expansion for greater positive impact to local communities. 
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site for both Rowan and the Bullock Garden Project in Glassboro.  
• Great for candidates interested in sustainability, social justice, economic justice, economic development, community engagement, grant writing, food security, native plants, reducing poverty and food insecurity, and impact to local communities. 

• While this project is in progress, future projects in this area of interest may be available for future Fellowships.  
• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund (RIVF), a $25 million private equity fund supporting entrepreneurs and technology commercialization at Rowan University and throughout the Southern New Jersey area. Fellow works with the Managing Director of the RIVF to establish and expand upon internal operations processes and community facing initiatives to further support entrepreneurship and economic growth in the region.  
• Fellow will assist with Rowan Innovation Venture Fund operations, including: 
  • sourcing potential investment opportunities throughout the Rowan community, Southern New Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia area, including opportunities in technologies that advance modern medicine and patient treatment, promote mental health and wellness, and tackle more of society’s most pressing challenges; 
  • providing mentorship to entrepreneurs, evaluating potential investment opportunities and participating in monthly Screening Committee meetings (held remotely via Zoom at 8:00 am, usually the fourth Friday of each month); 
  • conducting investment research/diligence and preparing investment overviews;
  • tracking and facilitating support of portfolio companies and engaging other community members and Rowan University faculty and students, to provide support to founders and their companies;  
  • managing brand/marketing initiatives; 
  • developing programs and initiatives in support of underrepresented and underserved founders; and 
  • executing special projects (quarterly and annual reporting, research, etc.).  
• Fellow work on this initiative is virtual and on Rowan’s campus in Glassboro in collaboration with the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund as well as the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
• This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in entrepreneurship, venture capital, technology commercialization, economic development, law, community engagement, and small business impact to local communities.

• While this project is in progress, future projects in this area of interest may be available for future Fellowships.  
• Work on this initiative is within Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership. Fellow leads in developing and implementing a social impact marketing strategy to demonstrate successes and engage stakeholders in further expanding upon Rowan University’s sustainability initiatives. From academic offerings to technical changes across functional areas, engagement with student groups, and even hiring new faculty, Rowan is serious about sustainability.
• Fellow works with advancing submission of Rowan University’s STARS sustainability impact report. The STARS report is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance.  
• Goals of the Sustainability at Rowan social marketing campaign include informing, inspiring, and sharing opportunities for participation in initiatives for both internal (students, faculty, and employees) and external (prospective students, alumni, and the broader community) audiences. 
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Rowan’s campus in Glassboro. 
• Great for candidates interested in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, environmental and social stewardship, and utilizing marketing as a vehicle for nurturing and communicating strong relationships between organizations, their stakeholders, and the wider community. 

• While this project is in progress, future projects in this area of interest may be available for future Fellowships.  
• Work on this initiative is in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership and the Sport Ecology Group, a community of academics that addresses research related to sport and the natural environment with a goal to synthesize sport ecology research in one place so that researchers and practitioners have access to the latest information. Project components focus on examining climate change-related hazards threatening fairgrounds, personnel, and attendees on Formula 1, Formula E, Extreme E, and IndyCar race sites, including risks related to heat, severe weather events, air quality, and other relevant challenges (e.g., the health of fans and racing teams). Research efforts include research design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, and report writing.
• Fellow is an engaged and active team member in research initiatives at the intersection of climate action and sports, including creating related educational resources, webinars, workshops, and content for publications and social media. 
• Fellow work on this initiative is a mix of virtual and on-site at Rowan’s campus in Glassboro. 
• Great for candidates interested in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, environmental and social stewardship, sports, ecology, climate change, climate justice, and the natural environment. 

• Sarah Atai provided consultative services to Samaritan, a nonprofit organization that offers support to families in end-of-life care in comfort and dignity through a myriad of services and a team of experts including physicians, nurses, social workers, certified home health aides, spiritual support counselors, bereavement counselors, and volunteers.
• After assessing a need to recruit certified health aids to meet a growing demand, Sarah worked with Samaritan’s Human Resources team to support the recruitment efforts, from compiling a comprehensive list of ideal candidates through outreach to community- and faith-based organizations. With Sarah’s assistance, Samaritan successfully recruited and hired seventeen full-time certified health aides out of the twenty targeted positions. Working with Samaritan’s development team and golf tournament committee, Sarah helped raise funds to support bereaved families, hospice patients, and family caregivers. 
• Sarah advanced Samaritan’s commitment to inclusion, diversity and access. She worked with Samaritan’s marketing communications team on outreach efforts to increase access to Samaritan’s services for diverse patients and families, and she attended and reported on a BIPOC Media Landscape Panel and ESG conference in her role as consultant. 

• In collaboration with Rowan Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (RCIE) and the Collingswood Economic Development Office, Fellow Michelle Martinez assisted Dr. Colleen Kendrick, a Rowan University faculty member in the Marketing Department, in coordinating the Biz Builders Webinar. The webinar aimed to provide marketing expertise to small businesses in Collingswood NJ, offering insights on how to effectively promote their offerings within the context of being a destination location, leveraging social media, and fostering community connections. In her capacity as coordinator, Michelle acted as liaison between RCIE and stakeholders from Collingswood, NJ, during the planning period. She moderated the webinar, contributing meaningfully to the economic development initiatives in Collingswood. 

• In collaboration with the Rowan Center for Responsible Leadership, Fellow Michelle Martinez facilitated a virtual "MBA Roundtable,” a dynamic forum she organized for her fellow MBA students and other Rowan-affiliated individuals. The meeting’s purpose was to provide an insightful and educational experience for participants by giving them the opportunity to discuss and explore crucial questions around the role of finance in society and its potential as an arena for social change.  
• During the session, Michelle moderated, guiding the conversation with industry experts to delve into the intersection of finance, social equity, and corporate social responsibility, emphasizing the role that MBA students can play in bringing about meaningful change. 
• The event tackled the importance of financial education and the challenges faced by social equity initiatives in terms of funding.
• “MBA Roundtable” served as an enriching platform for graduate student participants to engage with the expert moderators and gain valuable insights for how to translate the discussed concepts into actionable steps for their personal and professional paths. 

• Fellow Jake McFarland collaborated with RCB Graduate Studies leadership and staff to plan, organize, advertise, and moderate a panel of regional project managers for an Expert Webinar attended by current RCB graduate students, bringing business communities together, expanding the RCB brand, and providing a networking opportunity for his peers.