Why Andover Newton requires seminarians to take a course from the Yale School of Management

Because my dissertation for a PhD in education included a study of a foundation-funded campus ministry, I needed some background I could find only through courses in the business school. I chose courses that would help me better understand the business of philanthropy and theories of institutional change. I signed up for one on nonprofit fundraising, hoping to gain a grasp on how foundations think and operate.

And then I failed the midterm. Why? Because I answered questions the way an MDiv student would. I offered moral analysis and raised new questions, rather than actually answering the questions posed by the professor.

I quickly figured out what was expected and came at the material like a business school student. Not only have I used that material throughout the intervening years, but my experience learning alongside business students has also helped me to relate better to business leaders.