For three years, the Micah Institute has been receiving large anonymous monetary donations, but these donations have, after three years, come to an end.
According to Danute Nourse, director of programs for the Center for Catholic Studies, the anonymous foundation has contributed $155 thousand for the purposes of supporting, marketing and developing audiences for the Micah Institute. The last donation was a $25 thousand grant in August.
"Micah has received the support of the Lilly Endowment through the Center for Vocation and Servant Leadership, in support of its seminars for undergraduate and graduate students in the Stillman School of Business, and from other private donors," Nourse said.
"Giving to the Micah program, whether a business or an individual, is both recognition for the important work of the institute, and an investment in the future expansion of its mission," Stephanie Hauge, Director of Corporation and Foundation Relations in the Seton Hall University Advancement Division, said.
While the Micah Institute has been enjoying sizeable donations, the University has been experiencing an overall budget crisis, as reported by The Setonian this past June. As a result of the crisis, non-faculty workforce was reduced by 32 people and a university organizational realignment plan was implemented.
In September, The Setonian also reported that the University budget crisis is still ongoing. To combat this, the University has been seeking donations from various sources, including alumni.
According to its website, the Micah Institute for Business and Economics has been part of the Center for Catholic Studies for five years. The primary purpose of the institute is to introduce the Seton Hall community to a Catholic prospective on business and economic life; it also addresses key social and economic issues, such as how to create a more equitable society.
It achieves these purposes through programs such as the Micah Business Leadership Project, the web site said.
According to its web site, this program involves bringing business leaders together and encouraging discussion of how their economic choices affect their spirituality.
Nourse also noted that the Micah Institute runs an annual conference. This year's conference was titled "Contemporary Movements in Social Justice."
Held in April, the conference brought successful representatives from social justice movements together with the general public.
The conference will hold follow-up conferences which will be held in December.
Jessica Card can be reached at jessica.card@student.shu.edu.
