Faith & Leadership In The MBA World: Inside The MBA Ministry

Over the past two decades, purpose and values have moved closer to the center of the MBA experience. On some campuses, that shift has been shaped, in part, by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s MBA Ministry — a student-led network that has created space for MBAs to wrestle with questions of ethics, leadership, and vocation alongside their academic training.

Under National Director Mark Washington’s leadership since 2007, the ministry has expanded to nearly 30 campuses, launched an annual New York City conference that draws hundreds of MBAs from around the globe, and fostered an alumni community committed to integrating values and vocation throughout their careers.

“Our role is to help students think about who they are and how they want to lead,” Washington says. “If you can align your values with your work early in your career, you set a foundation for impact that can last a lifetime.”

FROM HARVARD TO NEW YORK CITY

The first continuous MBA Christian fellowship began at Harvard Business School in the early 1980s, though Washington has met alumni who remember informal Bible studies on campus as far back as the 1970s.

Washington joined InterVarsity in the early 2000s, working on campus at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In 2006, Yale School of Management students launched the Believers in Business conference with help from Princeton’s David Miller, a former investment banker who now leads a multi-faith ethics center. Washington began advising the conference in 2009 and soon recommended moving it to New York City and expanding its reach.

The annual conference now draws about 300 attendees from the top ranks of MBA programs across the U.S. and abroad, including Canada, London Business School, Oxford, Korea, and Ghana.

“The magic of it is, I don’t run it,” Washington says. “I advise the students, but they’re the ones who decide the theme and the program each year.”

BUILDING CAMPUS COMMUNITIES

The MBA Ministry supports nearly 30 official student clubs, most at schools with at least 400 full-time MBA students — large enough to sustain leadership turnover and programming year to year.

Washington says international students are often among the most active members. “Many of the students I meet from Africa or Korea have a very strong faith background,” he says. “And even those without a particular religious commitment are asking how their values and vocation can come together.”

The goal, he adds, is to help everyone on campus flourish. “Some Christian ministries see the university as a toxic environment and try to pull students out. We take the opposite approach. We want to serve the whole campus, not just Christians.”

‘NAVIGATING THE GRAY’ AT CHICAGO BOOTH

One of the most visible examples of student initiative is Navigating the Gray, an annual ethics summit at Chicago Booth. The event grew out of post–financial crisis concerns about ethics in business and is led by the Booth Christian Fellowship in partnership with the Jewish Business Student Association, the Social Impact Center, and others.

“Not all the speakers are Christian,” Washington says. “It’s about presenting different perspectives on the purpose of business and the role of the manager. Sometimes it’s about organizational purpose, sometimes individual purpose.”

By avoiding the word “ethics” in the title, the organizers sidestep preconceived notions and open the door for a broader audience.

PROGRAMS FOR THE WHOLE CAMPUS

While Bible studies and faith-based discussions are part of the ministry, other programming addresses universal student needs. A recent example was a Healthy Relationships seminar led by dual-career MBA couples, tackling questions about family planning, career ambitions, and decision-making as a couple.

“It was especially appreciated by female MBAs,” Washington says. “They’re investing so much in their careers, and many also want a family. Navigating both is a real challenge.”

FROM THE MBA CLASSROOM TO GLOBAL IMPACT

Washington’s focus extends beyond graduation. He works to connect students to mentors, local communities, and organizations that help integrate faith and work. Alumni of the ministry have gone on to prominent roles, including Jason Wright, the first Black president of an NFL team, and the founders of Praxis, a startup accelerator for “redemptive” businesses tackling global challenges.

In 2024, Washington brought students to the Christian Economic Forum in Amsterdam, where leaders collaborated on solutions to human trafficking, environmental crises, and refugee resettlement.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Washington’s recent doctoral work focused on identity, calling, motivation, and discernment — themes he sees as critical for a generation navigating both career and life decisions. That focus, he says, takes place against a backdrop of shifting campus dynamics.

“Even before Covid, administrators were saying they felt like this was a more fragile generation coming in,” Washington says. “Now you also have this war between the current government administration and some campuses. MBA programs are a bit more insulated from that — they tend to run their own show — but they’re not immune.”

He notes that ripple effects from visa delays, funding pressures, and cultural tensions can reach business schools, particularly because of their high proportion of international students. “We just had a student from Nigeria who couldn’t make our annual retreat because he’s still waiting for his visa,” Washington says.

Still, he remains optimistic. “I’m hopeful because I see students coming in who care about making a difference in the world,” he says. “They recognize that business may be the institution with the most potential for impact. Our role is to help them align their values with their work — and to show that Christians can be known for love, not division.”

© Copyright 2025 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.