Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/100231
Sowing the Seeds of Success It takes a village to show students how microfinance can reshape the economy. By Jocelyn Evans T he economic crash of 2008 has led educators to wonder how they can teach fundamental lending principles to tomorrow���s banking executives. At the College of Charleston���s School of Business in South Carolina, we���ve found that both undergraduate and graduate students can learn financial literacy through experiential learning programs that revolve around microfinance. And they learn other important lessons as well���about the rewards of socially responsible behavior and the long-term impact of investment in a community. The College of Charleston���s foray into microfinance began in the fall of 2010, when business students initiated a microfinance club. While many student clubs come and go, microfinance seemed to be a good strategic fit with the school���s mission to develop socially minded business leaders for global opportunities. The school recognized that it could build and sustain interest in microfinance by turning club membership into course enrollment that came with academic credit. BizEd January/February 2013 49