Higher aims fulfilled: The social capital academy as a means for advancing underrepresented students in comprehensive university business schools

In contrast, under-resourced comprehensive universities disproportionately serve underrepresented minority, first-generation, and working-class students. This article argues for the comprehensive university as an institution uniquely positioned to reduce social inequality and the comprehensive university undergraduate business school (CUUBS) as the first test of a new approach to education.

The article advocates a substantive response to social inequality by 1) focusing the business school on undergraduate education within comprehensive universities rather than on the MBA program within well-funded elite business schools; 2) implementing a strategic emphasis on underrepresented and first-generation students' attainment of career-related jobs (CRJs) upon graduation; and 3) helping students to pursue CRJs via the development of a Social Capital Academy (SCA), a program that offers effective network building, social skills, and career engagement, alongside the traditional formal university coursework.