Augustana College has received a $105,000 “Vocation Across the Academy” grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) to help launch a mentorship program for business administration students.
Next fall, Augustana business administration majors can opt to enroll in the Business Education Steeped in the Liberal Arts (BESLA) scholars program. The Rock Island college said it is designed to enhance career, vocational reflection and graduates’ contributions to the common good.
About 20% of Augustana’s 2,500 students major in business administration. The program aims to not only prepare students for the workforce, but also equip them to think critically, communicate effectively, and reflect on the meaning and purpose of their careers and contributions to their communities.
“The BESLA program will enable students to take full advantage of their liberal (broad) learning so that they can be tomorrow’s business and civic leaders in a diverse and changing world,” Mr. Jason Mahn, professor of religion, said in a news release from Augustana.
Mr. Mahn is the director of Augustana’s Presidential Center for Faith and Learning, which upholds Augustana’s five faith commitments as a Lutheran liberal arts institution: interfaith engagement, social justice, spiritual exploration, reasoned examination and vocational discernment.
This spring, Mr. Mahn and Amanda Baugous, professor of business administration, will co-teach a pilot course for first-year and sophomore students entitled “Business as a Calling.”
Who will enroll?
Augustana will enroll 20-30 students in its inaugural BESLA cohort in fall 2025. Business administration students enrolling in BESLA will:
- Pursue a second major or minor from the traditional liberal arts disciplines, such as English, religion, political science, art or music.
- Devote a portion of their general education requirement to courses tailored to the intersection of career, calling, happiness, industry and living good lives.
- Participate in co-curricular activities with mentors from local business and nonprofit organizations.
Business majors at Augustana currently select from concentrations in business intelligence, finance, international business, management and marketing. Mr. Mahn said BESLA knits these business emphases with the liberal arts and Lutheran education values to support deep and broad learning, while also building a close community of reflective leaders.
Lindsay Adolphs, assistant vice president of CORE (Career, Opportunities, Research and Exploration) and community-engaged learning, is spearheading the community-connection portion of the BESLA program. Ms. Adolphs has recruited a group of business and civic leaders in the Quad Cities and Chicago areas to serve as the BESLA Community Mentoring Board.
In addition to shaping the program, board members will engage with BESLA scholars at dinner and dialogue events, with a focus on challenges and opportunities in the business world and our communities.
Lives well-lived
“Augustana alumni and other business leaders will play a role in mentoring students about work-life balance, community engagement and lives well-lived,” said Mr. Mahn. “We want top-notch business students who are prepared to grow into their deepest sense of calling in a world that desperately needs them.”
The BESLA program is supported by the NetVUE grant and the Council of Independent Colleges and Lilly Endowment Inc. As part of the grant, the college is committed to raising $35,000 toward the program. Individuals interested in supporting this program can contact Kelly Read Noack ‘02, assistant vice president of individual giving and estate planning, at [email protected] or (309) 794-7474.
