“Never doubt that a small group of individuals can change the world,” with these words, Professor Viva Bartkus of the University of Notre Dame addressed MBA students of the UCU Business School who joined the “Business on the Frontlines” project.
This international program has been running at the University of Notre Dame since 2008. Its mission is to serve through business and to support communities affected by war, conflict, and crises.
On September 15, in partnership with the UCU Business School, the Business on the Frontlines project was officially launched in Ukraine. The program was first implemented jointly with UCU in 2023 in Wrocław, where participants worked on issues related to Ukrainian refugees. Last year, the initiative included interviews with Ukrainian entrepreneurs—owners and managers of restaurants, shops, and cafés.
The training began with a lecture on community-oriented learning by Sofia Opatska and a lecture by Myroslav Marynovych, “Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky: A Strong Community for a Strong State.”
Since its inception, Business on the Frontlines has carried out more than 90 projects in over 30 countries worldwide, focusing on peace, poverty alleviation, and economic development. This year, the project chose the community of Novyi Rozdil in the Lviv region, due to the openness of local authorities, willingness to cooperate with the school, and the presence of historical heritage valuable to the community.
MBA students of the UCU Business School are divided into teams. They will be joined by mentors, advisors, and American colleagues who will arrive in Rozdil at the end of October.
According to project leader and UCU Business School lecturer Artem Kornetskyi, an essential element is working in the field and navigating ambiguity. He reminded students of the example of Minerva University founder Ben Nelson, who once traveled to Chile on his own to find the best vineyards and wines. Without speaking Spanish and driving thousands of kilometers of rough roads, he considered the attempt a disaster. Later, however, he made the same journey to Argentina, this time prepared and accompanied by a leading sommelier. Yet in practice, it was only the uncomfortable, unplanned experience in Chile that proved most valuable and useful to his work.
Kornetskyi emphasized that the Business on the Frontlines experience will be one “students can carry with them.” During the program, they will apply business skills to projects that make a real impact on community life; practice solving business problems, communication, and project management in field conditions; explore the local context and integrate it with international experience; develop and present practical solutions aimed at community development.
Organizers also note that Business on the Frontlines will bring tangible value to the Rozdil community since the implementation of the project foresees the engagement of financial resources. Also, this will enable the community to establish new partnerships with local authorities, the university, businesses, and others.
International partners of the project include Catholic Relief Services, Aga Khan Development Network, Mercy Corps, World Vision, Newmont Mining, and the University of Notre Dame.
The project consists of four phases. At the final stage, participants will be able to share real cases, insights, practical solutions, and their personal reflections.
