Faculty Fandom: Alison Bailey

Ready to explore the dynamic intersection between academia and entrepreneurship? Alison Bailey, beloved lecturer at the CFE, is shaping future entrepreneurs through her dedication to teaching a person-centred curriculum using real-world scenarios in game form.  

Alison’s journey into the world of startups was like catching a wave of serendipity. It all kicked off with an invitation to a workshop panel at CFE for soon-to-graduate students. The mission? Get students familiar with the working world. Little did she know, this experience would become the launchpad for her deep dive into the heart of CFE. 

Faculty Fandom: Alison Bailey

As Alison got more involved with the entrepreneurial community at U-M, she was presented with a game-changing opportunity – crafting a course centred on the value of organizations investing in their people.  In other words, she elevated the concept of corporate social responsibility. In her class, ethical responsibility is given much focus. Since 2017, the courses she’s been cooking up have evolved, delving into the kaleidoscopic dimensions of ethics, technology and their impact on both the academic and economic realms.

Sure, Alison isn’t the founder of the next big startup, but her entrepreneurial journey is no less thrilling. Picture her as a consultant extraordinaire, bringing a treasure trove of experience and insights to light the paths of others on their quest for success. Strategic thinking and ethical considerations? That’s her secret sauce for navigating the entrepreneurial landscape.

Right at the beating heart of Alison’s impact is her current gig as the lecturer behind ENTR 390.050, Organizational Values & Ethics. It’s not your run-of-the-mill class; it’s a dynamic space where students don’t just learn; they engage, they challenge, and they evolve. Her favorite part of the process? “I enjoy seeing how the students’ perspectives on ethics evolve as they critically think through the process of ‘what does organizational ethics mean’ from their perspective,” says Dr. Bailey.

But hold on, it’s not all about books and lectures. Alison also finds her groove in travel – a passion that fits together seamlessly with her lively and diverse approach to teaching. Those tales from her global escapades? They’re not just anecdotes; they’re the secret ingredients that spice up her classes, turning them into a global feast of knowledge.

For the eager students ready to plunge into the world of entrepreneurship or dive deep into the CFE universe, Alison has some golden advice: “Keep it real, stay true to yourself, and network like there’s no tomorrow. That’s where the magic happens!”

Alison Bailey isn’t just a lecturer; she is also flexing her entrepreneurial muscles and working towards launching her psychotherapy practice. On her final lap of completing her master’s degree in clinical social work at the University of Michigan, she is putting her person-focused ethics into practice. Her story is a testament to the extraordinary possibilities that unfold when passion meets purpose and knowledge in the entrepreneurial playground.

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