Greed: Ambition without a purpose
Oct, 2008
Professor John Armstrong – MBS philosopher-in-residence – delivered an impassioned plea for business schools to ensure that ambition is sufficiently educated to achieve good and noble outcomes.
He was speaking at the launch of the School’s Dean’s Circle – celebrating the impact of donors who give $1,000 or more in a single year. An audience of alumni, friends, faculty and students, heard him challenge MBS to bring ambition – “an intensely personal quality” – into the open to enable its use as a tool that benefits society for good, and not just for personal gain.
Professor Armstrong’s comments were preceded by two personal and inspiring presentations from MBS alumni, who stressed the importance of supporting education to achieve great outcomes.
Frank Zipfinger (EMBA 2003), Chairman of Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Alumni Advisory Council member, is currently involved with his Class in an effort to raise a record $500,000 endowment to support programs which have social impact. (See article above).
He spoke about the importance of giving to educational institutions. As beneficiaries of a transformative education, Frank encouraged alumni to support leadership education and make it more broadly accessible.
Heather Johnson (MBA 2000) was a recent beneficiary of a donor-supported Third-Sector scholarship to participate in the School’s Mindful Leadership program. She spoke about the imperative for MBS to provide access for those who would benefit from leadership and management education, but who don’t have the financial resources to do so.
Download podcast of Professor John Armstrong on Education and Ambition
Download podcast of Frank Zipfinger on why supporting education matters to him
Download podcast of Heather Johnson on her journey as a Third-Sector leader
Download podcast of Dean John Seybolt on how donor support makes a difference with MBS
