Regional differences among communities can seem insurmountable, especially when fueled by conflict. A unique opportunity hosted on Notre Dame’s campus in late August, the “Reimaging Building Excellence” workshop, challenged this assumption by connecting attendees across geographies and cultures to strengthen holistic problem-solving skills.
Supported by USAID’s Building Regional Economic Bridges (BREB) Activity, the event facilitated collaboration among 20 individuals from academic institutions, large corporations, and social entrepreneurship entities from diverse backgrounds across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The workshop aimed to bring together different perspectives to solve real-world problems in business and to foster interdisciplinary—and intergenerational—collaboration. More than simply a business-focused event, the gathering in late August 2024 created a space for professionals to explore how industry collaboration can foster goodwill, with discussions enriched as participants shared their lived experiences.
Pulte Institute Entrepreneurship and Education Program Director Melissa Paulsen was instrumental in shaping the workshop’s pedagogical aspects and was a key facilitator. Paulsen, a professor within the Keough School of Global Affairs and leader of foundational courses that include Social Entrepreneurship and Human-Centered Design, guided participants through the complexities of aligning social impact with financial sustainability. Her philosophy is grounded in the idea that mission and purpose should be integrated into every discipline, whether business, engineering, or social sciences, with human concerns centered at the heart of every issue. "We can’t afford to be siloed," she explains, emphasizing the shared responsibility to tackle society’s most pressing challenges. For workshop participants, this approach was not just theoretical; they grapple with issues like economic instability and climate-related crises in their daily lives. The event offered opportunities to seek out new frameworks, build networks, and exchange ideas with others facing similar problems. "My teaching in my classroom isn’t that much different, but this was a little bit more real, to be honest," Paulsen said.
Organized by ND Jerusalem in collaboration with faculty from the Mendoza College of Business, the workshop centered around a living case study on Nucleus Ventures, a Lebanese organization navigating the complexities of balancing social responsibility with financial sustainability. Driven by social goals at the outset and funded by the U.K. and Lebanese governments, Nucleus Ventures aimed to foster economic development and enterprise creation in Lebanon. However, the country’s severe economic crisis forced the organization to rethink its structure, transitioning from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity to sustain its mission. In the session with Nucleus Ventures’ Managing Partner Fouad Assaf, participants were tasked with proposing alternate business models and solutions to support Nucleus Ventures' continued work to achieve its social goals. The relevance of the case study to the broader MENA region and Assad’s willingness to allow his business to be critiqued made the workshop especially impactful.
While Notre Dame is far removed from the MENA region, the campus offered an ideal setting for these conversations, facilitated by individuals who deeply understand the region’s challenges. The workshop served not as a reaction to recent world events but was driven by the need to explore ethical and justice-based approaches to problem-solving.
Paulsen emphasized the importance of moving beyond polarized thinking, especially in business, where the traditional divide between nonprofit and for-profit approaches often lacks nuance. She stressed that true innovation occurs in the gray areas, where nonprofits strive for financial sustainability, and for-profits aim to make a social impact. The “Reimagining Business Excellence” workshop underscored this balance, encouraging participants to rethink strict distinctions and explore how non-profit and for-profit endeavors can collaborate to address authentic challenges. For Paulsen, social entrepreneurship is fascinating because it operates in this middle ground—where meaningful problem-solving can happen.
The program opened up opportunities for attendees to make connections that might not have been possible in other settings. As Paulsen noted, participants were united by their desire to create positive change through social entrepreneurship, ethical business practices, or innovative corporate social responsibility initiatives. Everyone had something to contribute to the discussions, which made watching the participants come together a touching experience for Paulsen. By the end, participants had built not only professional networks but also personal connections.