SHAPING FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS
In the heart of Houston, Texas, a groundbreaking partnership is taking shape between the Acton Institute and the University of St. Thomas (UST). This collaboration, centered on the UST McNair Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship along with the Cameron School of Business, is poised to transform business education and cultivate a new generation of ethically minded entrepreneurs.
“Our mission is to educate about the free and virtuous society,” explains Dr. John Pinheiro, Director of Research at the Acton Institute. “We want to show that entrepreneurship is a vocation, springing from our natural creative abilities, and that business can be and is a moral enterprise.” This vision aligns perfectly with UST’s goals. Dr. Beena George, Interim Director of the UST McNair Center, emphasizes, “Collaborating with the Acton Institute has been an incredible opportunity for us to empower our students to deepen their understanding of free-market economics informed by the Catholic intellectual tradition.”
The partnership’s cornerstone is a new entrepreneurship minor, designed by Acton Institute experts for non-business majors. Dr. Pinheiro and Michael Matheson Miller from Acton have already co-taught a pilot course on business, political economy, and the human person. The full minor is currently moving through UST’s approval process.
But the collaboration extends beyond curriculum development. The Acton Institute is also providing faculty development, with a workshop for business faculty on integrating Catholic social teaching into courses. This holistic approach ensures that UST professors are equipped to carry forward Acton’s principles long after the initial collaboration ends.
The impact is already evident. Dr. Elham Mousavidin, chair of UST’s Management and Marketing department, shared this: “The Business Matters conference was an excellent event. The panel discussions were truly thoughtprovoking, filled with ideas that challenged my perspectives.”
Students, too, are feeling the effects. Anjali Sebastian, a Cameron School of Business student who attended Acton University, noted, “The experience was incredibly enriching, and I gained valuable insights and connections that will undoubtedly benefit my academic and professional growth.
“Having attended multiple Acton University events in the past, I know that our students received an extraordinary gift, and one of my hopes is that this experience leads them to consider the call to create and grow faith-motivated entrepreneurial ventures.”
— ROBERT W. KEITH, DEAN OF THE CAMERON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
This partnership represents a new frontier for the Acton Institute. As Dr. Pinheiro points out, “The way we promote our ideas through conferences is influential, but now universities are coming to us for help with curricular reform and training of faculty.”
Looking to the future, the potential for expansion is significant. While this collaboration with UST serves as a pilot, success here could open doors to partnerships with other universities, amplifying Acton’s influence in shaping business education nationwide.
This partnership offers a tangible example of how the Acton Institute is making a difference. By helping shape the future of business education and instilling values of free enterprise and moral leadership, Acton is inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
As this innovative program with the University of St. Thomas continues to develop, ongoing support will be crucial. Together with its supporters, Acton can expand this model, reaching more universities and impacting more future business leaders with Acton’s vision of a free and virtuous society.
