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The Value of a Business Major at Sattler College

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The Value of a Business Major at Sattler College

Are you one of those people who gets annoyed at the thought of a businessman? When many people think of business, they picture a well-dressed middle-aged man strolling down Wall Street in constant pursuit of the next deal, caring only about profit. Sadly, the greed and corporate fraud often enacted in the business world seem to affirm this negative stereotype. As Christians, we should never fit that mold.

Sattler College aims to provide students with a business education that redefines what it means to be a businessman or businesswoman. As a business major at Sattler College, I’d like to explain first how valuable a business major can be to a Christian and then how Sattler’s program in particular builds competent and Kingdom-focused business people.

The Value of a Business Major to a Christian

Business skills develop the church. Like great business people, great church leaders cast vision, resolve disputes, and inspire others to lead well in whatever setting they find themselves. Great leaders confront problems while hunting for effective solutions. Business principles and skills have immense value in the church.

Business alleviates suffering. Trained in problem-solving, business students bring smart solutions to complex issues like poverty. Kingdom-centered businesses focus less on shareholder wealth and more on the balance between profit, planet, and people (also known as “the Triple Bottom Line”). Business, with the right emphasis, is an effective force to combat world suffering.

Business advances the Gospel. Businesses redeemed from controlling greed, businesses that offer second chances to employees, and businesses that invest back into their communities amplify the Gospel. Businesses also open opportunities to spread the Gospel in foreign countries. Reagan Schrock, an administrator for relief teams in the Middle East, writes, “When serving in ‘closed’ countries, you need a good platform to gain entry. We have found that providing tangible, practical value to people has opened incredible doors in places historically inaccessible to the gospel. We have seen this by teaching victims of war vocational skills and providing them with tools to empower them to provide for their families. Without a platform like this, there is no way we could serve and live among the people where our teams are currently located.”

The Excellence of Sattler’s Business Program

Hans, Mike, and Kate studying

As a new institution, Sattler has been free to explore the best ways to produce honest, value-creating business people who measure success with different metrics than the dollar amount in their bank accounts. The bachelor’s degree in business at Sattler launches students as Christian business leaders who are firm in their convictions. They are equipped to start a company providing social benefit, to lead a family business, or to serve Kingdom purposes at a larger organization.

Four qualities make Sattler’s business program effective.

1. Qualified professors. Dr. Oliver, the head of the program, has decades of experience in entrepreneurship, consulting on nonprofit boards, and professorship. He’s joined by seasoned business veterans like Mr. Derrivan and Dr. Miller. Business professors at Sattler lead by example.

2. Interactive teaching. Sattler’s small classes facilitate rich discussions that would be impossible in larger, lecture-oriented classes. Students use class time to discuss reading assignments or analyze case studies. The Sattler curriculum provides a strong foundation in accounting, finance, management, and marketing to prepare students for the rapidly changing global marketplace.

3. Action-oriented learning. Students are encouraged to put their knowledge to use through real impact projects. In the 2020 spring semester, students partnered with a Nicaraguan coffee co-op to develop a new marketing strategy to reach higher end markets. The 2020 fall entrepreneurship class will develop business plans to enter college business competitions. Sattler also provides students working for their undergraduate degree with multiple opportunities to network with the many professionals in Boston. 

4. Kingdom-focused career goals. Sattler’s business program puts the Kingdom of God front and center. Students learn to use their business skills to work for equality and justice and to build businesses that advance the Kingdom of God.

After four years of intense study, Sattler’s business students are equipped to climb the corporate ladder, drive change in a large non-profit, or start their own Kingdom-centered business venture.

You may be saying, “Great, but how does a Sattler business major avoid becoming the profit-focused business person presented earlier?” This is where business intersects with Sattler’s discipleship model. Paired with the intense and immersive discipleship of Journey Groups and the challenging, family-like atmosphere, Sattler’s business program is transformative. Business blossoms in the bounds of discipleship.

Two years ago, I came to Sattler to earn a college degree in business. My goal was to leave as a competent businessman, ready to run my own business and develop my own wealth. Today, my desires have changed. In my remaining two years at Sattler, my focus will be on learning how to use business to support the church, alleviate suffering, and advance the Gospel. I’m excited to see how God will use my training at Sattler for His purposes.

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Interested in learning more about Sattler’s business program? Visit our academics business page. 

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