Sauder announces its first FRED scholarship winner

Sauder recently announced the first recipient of its FRED ScholarsSM program: Ben McBride, executive director in the Oakland office of CityTeam International, a non-profit organization operating in California, Oregon and Pennsylvania.

In April, Sauder Executive Education joined a small group of prominent global business schools to create the FRED ScholarsSMprogram. The scholarship program, an initiative launched by FRED Inc., supports leaders at NGOs and non-profit organizations around the world in accessing world-class executive education.

Supervising a team that provides care to the low income, homeless and addicted populations in east Oakland, McBride says he applied for the scholarship to become a stronger and more effective leader in the work he’s doing with the city government, local businesses and other non-profits.

Four years ago, McBride and his family moved from a San Francisco suburb to a notoriously violent inner-city neighborhood in Oakland. “I wanted to be informed about the need in the community that I was going to lead,” he says.

As a FRED ScholarSM, McBride will attend Meeting the Leadership Challenge, an intensive Sauder Executive Education course held in Vancouver from November 4 to 9. The six-day program focuses on leadership style, and the development of organizational vision and goals, with each participant bringing their own challenge to address with the group.

“As the world becomes increasingly complex and interconnected, we need leaders in social enterprises who can navigate change and manage tough situations,” says Bruce Wiesner, Associate Dean of Executive Education. “We are very pleased to provide Ben with the training that we hope will make a significant difference to his organization and its pursuit to improve the living conditions of east Oakland.”