VOA标准英语2011--Universities Prepare Students for Social

Universities Prepare Students for Socially-Conscious Careers

The American economy has traditionally been divided into three sectors²: government, for-profit businesses and non-profit charities. In more recent years, students of American business have begun talking about a fourth category, often called the "for-benefit" sector¹. Fitting in between traditional businesses and charitable groups, for-benefit organizations are moneymaking enterprises with a social agenda. American universities are beginning to recognize this fourth sector of the economy, and to prepare students to enter it.
Custom Packaging of Lebanon, Tennessee, makes cardboard sales displays used in grocery stores and movie theaters. The company recently hired sustainability consultant³ William Paddock to help them "green" their operations. Paddock showed them how to generate less waste and recycle what trash they did produce. He also convinced the company to install one of the area's largest solar array on the factory roof, reducing their carbon footprint.
Paddock says there are many motivations for being socially responsible.
"For us it's about protecting the environment, being better to society, but also there's an economic piece to it," said Paddock. "We love to, you know, find our passions, but also save somebody money."
Paddock's been helping⁴ companies save money with green solutions for about ten years, but recently added a little green to his own resume. Last year, he completed an advanced degree in business administration from nearby Lipscomb University; a degree that included a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. Paddock says the classes improved his ability to connect with his customers.
"The biggest benefit of going through a program like that is to learn how to talk about a subject like sustainability," added Paddock. "How do you convince a business that looking at their carbon emissions⁵ is actually a viable⁶ business option?"
Belmont University, in Nashville, takes a different approach for those interested in a for-benefit career. These students will be among the first to graduate with the university's new bachelor's degree in Social Entrepreneurship. Today, they are arranging senior internships with local charities.
Bernard Turner, director of Belmont's Center for Social Entrepreneurship, says American universities were slow to offer degrees in for-benefit fields of study, and are now being forced to quickly add those programs.
"Students are saying, 'Now I want to be an entrepreneur, but I want to do something that deals with a social problem or a social issue that's dear to me.' So what has happened is that a lot of these programs have come to fruition because they are student-driven; student desires about this," noted⁷ Turner.
Students are driven by very personal motivations.
"We've even had students that said, you know, 'Alcoholism was an issue in my family. So how can I study social entrepreneurship and do something about giving these folks a second chance when they come out of treatment?'" added Turner.
Andrew Bishop⁸ is one of the program's star students. He launched his first charity when he was still in high school. Turner is helping him launch a second charity that connects professors with opportunities to volunteer in the community.
Bishop says he and his peers are motivated by what they see in the media.
"Even 20 years ago, you really only knew what was going on in your community," said Bishop. "But now, you have this world and worldwide sense of what's going on and I think it's challenged young people as they're growing up to kind of look at 'How can I make a difference and how can I solve some of these world issues with what I do with my career?'"
That growing desire to make a difference and a living at the same time, is why Bishop says American universities are likely to continue expanding their degree offerings in socially-centered areas of study.
"I think more people want to be able to say that when they retire, 'I did make a difference in my work, and I did make a difference in the life of someone else through what I did each and every day,'" added Bishop.
From just a handful of offerings 20 years ago, there are now more than 60 American universities offering "green" business degrees.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。