Fellowship Projects

Fellowship Projects

Explore: Fellowship Projects

Take the Initiative

A hallmark of the MBA and MS Finance Fellowship experience is leading and contributing to initiatives with positive societal impact. These experiences have lasting impact for the partnering organization, their community members and stakeholders, and the Rowan ecosystem. They provide a foundation and platform for Fellows to transfer the knowledge, skills, and connections they build to their next career steps. 

Fellows have options for the type of initiatives they will pursue. Many Fellows choose to take an active role leading a defined initiative with an established RCB partner organization and mentor. Some Fellows choose to design their own custom-built positive societal impact initiative. The common thread is that Fellowship initiatives respond to crucial social needs while simultaneously addressing business-related issues.

Fellows have the opportunity to experience a fulfilling and impactful journey by taking a leadership role in one of several ongoing projects we have already defined with our partners. For Fellows looking to drive change in areas outside the scope of our defined partners, we strongly encourage them to pitch their ideas and potentially launch their own initiative from the ground up.  

The intentional mentorship, challenging tasks, and collaborative work have allowed me to grow and develop in ways that I never thought possible. 

—Sarah Atai on her RCB Fellowship experience, 2022–2023 

We are pleased to share some of the exciting opportunities to make an impact available to MBA and MS Finance Fellows in Fall 2023 and beyond.  

For more information on how prospective or continuing Fellows might design their own custom-built positive societal impact initiative, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Market Research to Inform Bioeconomy Firms Entry into USA Markets

  • Fellow to conduct market research to inform bioeconomy firms (those that fit within sustainable development and a circular economy) based in the Baltic Sea Region on feasibility of entry into USA markets.
  • Work on this initiative would be in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership, Department of Marketing/BIS, Jamk University and the JamkInstitute of Bioeconomy. Jamk is a multidisciplinary university of applied sciences based in Finland. Jamk is a strong developer of bioeconomy businesses and promoter of export activities offering companies and communities testing, training, and expert services in the bioeconomy sector. Areas of expertise for Jamk connect to bioeconomy such as forestry, agriculture, industrial management, energy production, business economics and tourism. Jamk works closely with research institutes, companies, and educational institutions both internationally and in their home region.
  • Fellow work on this initiative would be virtual for both Rowan and Jamk with the potential for some work to be done on Rowan’s campus in Glassboro.
  • Great for candidates interested in sustainable development, international business, bioeconomy, import and export, applied research, clean energy. 

Bioeconomy Accelerator Rapid Prototype Competition

  • Fellow to become an engaged and active team member to pitch and compete in an international network cooperation challenge (e.g., “Hackathon” style) to solve problems and improve business models in bioeconomy companies located in the Baltic Sea region.
  • Work on this initiative would be in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership, Jamk University and the Jamk Institute of Bioeconomy. Jamk is a multidisciplinary university of applied sciences based in Finland. Jamk is a strong developer of bioeconomy businesses and promoter of export activities offering companies and communities testing, training, and expert services in the bioeconomy sector. The “Hackathon” challenge events and related projects are focused on the circular economy transition of bioeconomy business: the application of circular economy business models in bioeconomy companies.    
  • Fellow work on this initiative would be virtual for both Rowan and Jamk with the potential for some work to be done on Rowan’s campus in Glassboro. 
  • Great for candidates interested in sustainable development, international business, bioeconomy, business model innovation, entrepreneurship, applied research, clean energy. 

Business Model Innovation and Refinement of Retail Operations for Nonprofit Revenue Diversification

  • Work on this initiative would be in collaboration with the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Samaritan, 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.
  • Fellowship includes leading a consultative process to evaluate opportunities for growth and expansion for additional stores in new locations for Samaritan Thrift. Samaritan thrift shops generate revenues that support community needs, enhance visibility, and create goodwill. Samaritan has been recognized by Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) as a “superior performer” for achieving excellence as an overall caregiver who delivers family satisfaction. Improved outcomes for the thrift store will contribute to organizational goals to increase community awareness and engagement, develop community-and faith-based partnerships, and provide excellent care and supportive services for more patients and families, including diverse, underserved populations.
  • Fellow work on this initiative would be virtual for both Rowan and Samaritan with the potential for some work to be done on Rowan’s campus in Glassboro and on-site at Samaritan’s corporate offices in Mount Laurel. 
  • Great for candidates interested in business model innovation, philanthropy, health and wellness, supporting underserved communities, and retail operations management. 

Nonprofit Business Model Innovation to Expand Services for Families in Need

  • Fellow to lead a consultative process to identify, evaluate, and determine feasibility on opportunities for growth and expansion of Samaritan Caregiver Services. Samaritan is a nonprofit based in Southern NJ. It has been recognized by Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) as a “superior performer” for achieving excellence as an overall caregiver who delivers family satisfaction. Along with the care of Samaritan patients in hospice, palliative care, and primary care at home, Samaritan provides education, guidance, and bereavement support for their family caregivers. Expanding caregiver services will enhance the care Samaritan provides for patients and families, and would also potentially support other patients and caregivers in the community. Expansion may include caregiver education programs, videos, online chats, support groups, etc. Topics may include accessing community resources, self-care, medical decision-support, and advance care planning, legal and financial considerations, health literacy, etc.
  • This initiative can potentially be expanded to include implementation and operational stages.
  • Work on this initiative would be in collaboration with the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Samaritan, 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 work on this initiative would be virtual for both Rowan and Samaritan with the potential for some work to be done on Rowan’s campus in Glassboro and on-site at Samaritan’s corporate offices in Mount Laurel. 
  • Great for candidates interested in business model innovation, philanthropy, health and wellness, supporting underserved communities, and social and economic equity, and patient education. 

Social Impact Marketing for Sustainability at Rowan

  • Fellow to lead in developing and implementing a social impact marketing strategy to demonstrate successes and engage stakeholders in further expanding upon Rowan University’s sustainability initiatives.
  • Fellow will also work 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. From academic offerings to technical changes across functional areas, engagement with student groups, and even hiring new faculty, Rowan is getting serious about sustainability.
  • Goals of the Sustainability at Rowan social marketing campaign will 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.
  • Work on this initiative would be within Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership.
  • Fellow work on this initiative would be 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.

Climate Change and Motorsport: Racing to Mitigate Risks

  • Fellow to become an engaged and active team member in research initiatives at the intersection of climate action and sports.
  • Global climate change is already affecting the full range of human activities, from agriculture to cultural heritage, and sports are not immune to these impacts. Project components will 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 might include research design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, and report writing.
  • Further action steps might include creating related educational resources, webinars and workshops, and/or content for publications and social media.
  • Work on this initiative would be a 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—the recent, the relevant, the revolutionary—with a goal to synthesize sport ecology research in one place so that researchers and practitioners have access to the latest information.
  • ​Fellow work on this initiative would be 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.

Historic Preservation, Community Engagement, Heritage Tourism, and Economic Development in a Disadvantaged Community

  • Fellow to lead consultative process to build and refine strategic and operational planning and implementation efforts for a recently formed Historic Preservation Commission in a disadvantaged community in Glouster County, NJ. 
  • Work on this initiative would be in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership and the Commission. The primary goals of the Commission are: historic preservation, community engagement, and economic development. 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.
  • Fellow to synthesize intelligence gathered; identify tools, approaches, and funding sources; and outline action plans to explore economically viable and sustainable initiative scoping and implementation.
  • 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 would 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. 

Enhance and Enrich Teaching and Learning in Pre-K–12 Public Schools in a Disadvantaged Community

  • Fellow to lead consultative process to build and refine strategic and operational planning and implementation efforts for an education foundation in a disadvantaged community in Gloucester County, NJ. A particular focus for this initiative will be to expand and formalize a fundraising and grant-seeking plan that includes corporate, government, and community outreach.
  • Work on this initiative will be in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership and the Commission. 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 and 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 work on this initiative would 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. 

Sustainable Agriculture, Garden Education, and Community Awareness

  • Fellow to lead 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 might include market scans and benchmarking, SWOT analysis, and evaluating opportunities for growth and expansion for greater positive impact to local communities.
  • Work on this initiative would be in collaboration with Rowan’s Center for Responsible Leadership 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 work on this initiative would be 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.

Building Affiliated Partnerships to Advance Health and Well-being of Animals and Humans

  • Fellow to collaborate as an engaged and active team member with leadership and staff of the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University to build community partnerships with regional veterinary clinics and hospitals, animal shelters, animal-assisted therapy programs, rescue organizations, and foundations and community organizations focused on animal welfare to advance the health and well-being of animals and humans. 
  • The project components will include industry benchmarking, market research, stakeholder interviews to gather intelligence, developing a mission statement, and creating a strategic plan. The Fellow will also provide support in executing the plan.
  • This initiative is in collaboration with the Rowan Center for Responsible Leadership and the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University, which expects to welcome its first class in 2025. Graduates of the Shreiber School are expected to address societal concerns while improving patient outcomes. The school's undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs are unified by a concern for the health and diseases of animals, humans, and the environment.
  • The Fellow will work on this initiative virtually and on-site at the Rowan Center for Responsible Leadership and the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine, both at Rowan University's campus in Glassboro, and possibly at potential partner organizations. This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in animal care and welfare, animal science, sustainability, health and wellness, the business of veterinary medicine, and veterinary practice management.

Development of a Business Plan for PAWS Farm Educational Center

  • Fellow will work with Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine leadership and PAWS Farm Educational Center staff to create a business plan that includes a mission statement and operational budget for educational programs and services to be delivered at the PAWS Farm Educational Center.
  • The Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine will extend its teaching, clinical research, and service mission at PAWS Farm through the following programs and outreach activities.
    • Professional skills curriculum for DVM candidates and professional graduate students
    • Volunteering and service-learning opportunities for School of Veterinary Medicine students
    • Career exploration programs for children across Pre-K through grade 12
    • Summer intensive program for high-achieving high school students from underrepresented populations
    • Animal exploration summer camps for young children
    • Open access hours to PAWS Farm for children and families to experience animal handling and care
    • Field trip opportunities for regional school districts
  • Fellow will create a report at the end of their Fellowship that assesses the effectiveness of the business plan in practice and addresses concerns for follow-up and revisions to current and future plans.
  • This initiative is in collaboration with the Rowan Center for Responsible Leadership and the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine. Fellow will work on this initiative virtually and on-site at the Center for Responsible Leadership and the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University, both on campus in Glassboro, as well at the PAWS Farm Educational Center located in Mt. Laurel, NJ.
  • This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in animal care and welfare, animal science, sustainability, health and wellness, the business of veterinary medicine, and veterinary practice management.

Economic Development for Small Businesses in Southern NJ

  • Fellow to work with the Managing Director of 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, 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 societies 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 engage other community members and Rowan University faculty and students, to provide support to founders and their companies; 
    • Managing brand/marketing initiatives; and 
    • 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 would be virtual with the potential for work to be done 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.