Net Impact member Barbara Beaudoin shares her experiences
leading up to her time at Simmons, and shares the benefits of adopting an
active role on the Net Impact leadership team.
Her work with the newly formed Simmons Green Team will contribute to the
sustainability practices at Simmons college-wide.
How did you end up at Simmons Net
Impact?
Business school was an unexpected turn for me. As a
cause-driven person, I had previously viewed business and social responsibility
as fundamentally at odds with each other.
The Simmons SOM commitment to principled leadership drew me in as a very
different way of thinking. The
curriculum and the approach have helped me understand the power of business
frameworks in creating significant and sustainable change.
I believe Net Impact plays a critical role within the SOM
community. The mission of Net Impact
closely aligns with the concept of principled leadership and Net Impact
activities, such as the annual CSR panel, contribute to the SOM “walking the
walk.”
How has Net Impact shaped your experience at Simmons?
One of the most valuable aspects of joining Net Impact
has been connecting and collaborating with others who are interested in social
and environmental change.
Personally, Net Impact has afforded me many opportunities
to network through their regional student and professional chapters. In January, I was fortunate to join two other
members in representing Simmons at a United Nations forum on the Principles for
Responsible Management Education. As a result
of this discussion, the drive of many Simmons Net Impact members and the work
of faculty member, Sylvia Maxfield, Simmons will offer an elective in
Environmental Sustainability during the summer term.
How would you
like to see Net Impact grow over the
next year or two?
This is an
extremely exciting time to be at Simmons.
The fact that corporate
The move of the
SOM to the main campus will open up opportunities for collaboration on
environmental initiatives being implemented more broadly by the College. I believe Net Impact can play a crucial role
in facilitating interaction across the College and encouraging more
comprehensive environmental practices.
What personal and professional
experiences do you wish to share with your colleagues at Simmons and what have
you taken away from the program?
The opportunities to get involved at Simmons are
endless. As a full-time student, there
certainly needs to be a balance between meeting academic requirements and
getting involved in extracurricular activities.
In my experience, I have found the informal curriculum (community
involvement, interactions with classmates and participation in networking
events) to be an extremely valuable addition to my Simmons education. There are also many opportunities to
integrate your professional interests through class projects and assignments.