On a campus where chapel and spiritual groups are woven into student life, one new program is carving out space for a specific audience—students preparing to lead in the business world.
Beginning in Fall 2026, Anderson University will launch AU Called to Lead, a chapel-credit spiritual group series designed to help business students integrate faith, leadership, and professional purpose.
Hosted by the Falls School of Business, the 12-week series will meet on Thursdays from 11 to 11:50 a.m. during chapel time. While the program is tailored to business students, it will be open to all AU students.
Assistant Professor of Management Veronica Dougherty-Denny developed the program after noting that existing spiritual group offerings did not fully address business students seeking to connect faith, leadership, and professional preparation.
“We have strong chapel programming and a wide range of spiritual groups,” Dougherty-Denny said. “But there wasn’t anything intentionally designed for business students—something that directly addresses leadership, ethics, and faith in the workplace.”
The series centers on servant leadership, drawing inspiration from Matthew 20:26: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Each session begins with Scripture and prayer, followed by discussion and hands-on activities rooted in real-world business scenarios.
“At the core, servant leadership is ethical leadership,” Dougherty-Denny said. “You can’t meaningfully integrate faith into business without it. They go hand in hand.”
Unlike traditional lecture-based formats, AU Called to Lead emphasizes experiential learning. Sessions will include case studies, simulations, role-play exercises, and table conversations, allowing students to practice professional communication and ethical decision-making in a collaborative environment.
“We don’t want students just sitting and listening,” Dougherty-Denny said. “We want them practicing skills—how to communicate professionally, how to network, how to engage with leaders in a business setting.”
Sample topics include Faith in the Workplace, Business Ethics Through a Biblical Lens, Stewardship, Faith and Failure, and Ethical Dilemmas. The series will conclude with a student showcase in which participants present how faith integrates with their specific discipline, such as marketing, accounting, or management. Organizers are also exploring plans for an etiquette lunch as the program grows.
Community engagement is a central component of the initiative. Organizers hope to invite Christian business professionals from Anderson and Madison County to campus as speakers and mentors, strengthening connections between students, faculty, and the broader community.
“We want business leaders to know who we are and what our students are capable of,” Dougherty-Denny said. “And we want students to have opportunities to build relationships and learn from people who are living this out every day.”
The program also aligns closely with Anderson University’s mission of faith, learning, and service, as well as the Falls School of Business’ emphasis on being “salt and light” in the marketplace.
“We often tell students to take their faith into the business world,” Dougherty-Denny said. “This program helps show them how to do that with integrity, humility, and confidence.”
Although AU Called to Lead will debut as a 12-session series, organizers view it as an evolving initiative. Sessions may change each semester, and future plans include recording content for distance learners and expanding opportunities based on student feedback.
As students prepare for leadership beyond the classroom, AU Called to Lead aims to offer more than professional training—it seeks to shape leaders who understand their work as both vocation and calling.