Updated: October 2023
Business
Overview
With the imperative to Grow the Good in Business™, Mendoza College of Business’ mission and vision are inspired by three “Cs” that correspond to the pillars of Catholic Social Teaching:
CONTRIBUTE to human flourishing, serving others in response to all the gifts we have received, through which we ourselves flourish.
COOPERATE in solidarity through teamwork as part of a community, and prioritize those with the greatest needs.
COMPETE externally in the marketplace and internally toward the best version of oneself, by the grace of God and with the help of others.
These “three Cs” support the following “Big C” Catholic and “small c” catholic (i.e., universal) beliefs: the recognition of the infinite, immutable and intrinsic value of every single human being; the principle of solidarity, which means businesses have a particular responsibility for those with the greatest needs; and the principle of subsidiarity, where we are committed to helping each other as a team with respect for each other’s freedom and opportunity towards integral development.
Mendoza’s mission springs from the words of John Cardinal O’Hara, C.S.C., who served as the first dean of Notre Dame’s College of Foreign and Domestic Commerce (now the Mendoza College of Business) when it was founded in 1921:
“The primary function of commerce is service to mankind. Business has a code of ethics based very largely on divine principles. When this code is followed, commerce can and does advance civilization. When it is overlooked by selfish interests, individual or national, every sort of injustice, from petty thievery to world war, may result.”
Mendoza is fully committed to its distinctive identity as a Catholic business school, where we seek to produce top academic research and educate business leaders who contribute to human flourishing, cooperate in solidarity and compete with excellence.
“The primary function of commerce is service to mankind.”
John Cardinal O’Hara, C.S.C., Founding Dean
Mission
As a leading business school guided by the University's Catholic identity, the Mendoza College of Business seeks to grow the good in business to improve the human condition in an ever-changing society Through impactful research and educational programs, we contribute to the formation of ethical business leaders who integrate the mind and the heart, and have the competence to see and the courage to act.
Vision
The Mendoza College of Business will be a premier global business school widely recognized for innovative research, rigorous educational programs and formative student experiences, all informed by our Catholic character. Mendoza will be the business school of choice for talented students, faculty and staff who are called to serve and have a desire to advance the human community through business as a force for good.
News
As a force for good, business has the potential to positively impact the human community on a grand scale, lifting people from poverty, providing education, promoting human rights.
What Would You Fight For?
Tender, Strong and True: Leadership Development at Notre Dame
Goals
Business has identified four overarching goals as part of its strategic planning process, each of which advances two or more of the five University-wide goals:
1. Research - Elevate the quality and quantity of impactful research with relevance to business and society.
Objectives
- Establish an Undergraduate Research Scholars Program.
- Elevate our research culture by hosting more research talks and conferences.
- Invest in key resources and infrastructure to support research.
2. Undergraduate Program - Provide an educational experience that contributes to the formation and preparation of undergraduate students who will meaningfully contribute to the world.
Objectives
- Expand the Business Honors Program in both size and scope.
- Enhance the quality and accessibility of our majors and minors for all Notre Dame Undergraduate students.
- Provide more opportunities for Mendoza to support students’ academic journey and career discernment.
3. Graduate Programs - Elevate our flagship MBA program while offering a strategic portfolio of specialized graduate programs that are distinctively mission-centric and market-relevant, leverage faculty strengths and contribute to Mendoza's advancement.
Objectives
- Establish a strategic plan for the MBA program.
- Launch the Global EMBA Program.
- Strengthen our Master's programs' financial viability,
4. Teaching & Learning - Develop an innovative curriculum and formative experiences that integrate the business disciplines with the perspective of the human person, preparing students to contribute, cooperate, and compete in an ever-changing society.
Objectives
- Elevate and expand our experiential learning offerings and initiatives.
- Invest in new initiatives and partnerships to directly impact our strategic priorities.
- Integrate and embed Tender Strong and True as an essential component of the College’s identity.
5. Talent - Attract, hire, develop, and retain a diverse, world-class faculty and staff who advance our mission and extend our vision.
Objectives
- Establish a sabbatical policy for College faculty.
- Develop a comprehensive talent development and retention program that considers all staff.
- Recruit and hire world-class faculty to meet the College’s needs and aspirations.
6. Culture - As a community of students, faculty, and staff in pursuit of excellence, cultivate an engaged, caring, and inclusive culture informed by the University's Catholic mission.
Objectives
- Continue to pursue a high caliber and diverse student body across all programs.
- Foster a workplace culture that embraces a team-of-teams approach, including functional teams, as key tools to achieve our goals.
- Build on our progress toward developing a “culture of encounter” through compelling extracurricular programming and social opportunities.
Learn more about the Mendoza College of Business by visiting mendoza.nd.edu.