The University Entrepreneurial Program Register is a curated list, spotlighting Universities and their entrepreneur programs.
The register includes interviews of University Entrepreneurial Programs from across the United States. It is an evergreen catalog we are maintaining for those interested in entrepreneurial programs led by Universities. This schedule, which includes an overview of each program/service offering, also includes links to the Launchopedia interviews with the University. Listings are in alphabetical order, with new additions on a continuing basis.
University Spotlight: Babson College
Name of Program: Babson College – Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship
Location: Boston, MA
Executive Director: Debi Kleiman
Overview: At Babson, we believe that entrepreneurship can be a powerful force within organizations of all types and sizes, in established businesses as well as new ventures. We were the first to understand that thinking and acting entrepreneurially is more than just an inclination. It’s a mindset, it can be taught, and we do it better than anyone.
University Spotlight: Baylor University
Name of Program: John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise
Location: Waco Texas
Program Director: Dr. Kendall Artz
Overview: Baylor University is an institution that prides itself on providing students with opportunities to cultivate their skills and to grow as professionals. Up and coming entrepreneurs in this program are given a community and a quality education in which they can build their future on. Baylor graduates have started 280 companies just in the last five years, raising over $50 million in funding.
University Spotlight: Belmont University
Name of Program: An extension of the Jack C. Massey College of Business Administration
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Program Chair: Dr. Jeff Cornwall
Overview:With an average of 1,000 students in the program, Belmont specifically designed their courses to help uplift, educate, mentor, and excel the incoming students that have an interest in entrepreneurship. In order to do this, they incorporate business models, ethics, growth management, and cultivate an eye to recognize potential opportunities and when to take them. As of 2017, 122 businesses have been launched over the course of 10 years with funding amounting to over $2,000,000.
University Spotlight: Brigham Young University
Name of Program: The Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET)
Location: Provo, Utah
Academic Director: Steve Liddle
Overview: Brigham Young University is an institution dedicated to cultivating creative and ambitions innovators who value their faith and their community. Not only does BYU set a high standard for its students, but the university also maintains a standard of excellence through its faculty and resources. One of the most invaluable assets of this program is the Mentoring Services. Students can sign up for these services by following an online guide that establishes what type of mentor will fit their specific needs.
University Spotlight: Depaul University
Name of Program: The Coleman Entrepreneur Center (CEC)
Location: Chicago, IL
Executive Director: Bruce Leech
Overview: The CEC endeavors to expose its students to the numerous viable career opportunities in entrepreneurship while also providing them with the necessary knowledge and skills to execute their raw ideas into legitimate and prosperous business ventures. The program also participates in the Global Entrepreneur-in-Residence (GEIR) Program. Through the program, DePaul aids international alumni company founders and essential personnel to remain in the U.S. through the H-1B visa pathway to retain much needed and highly technical talent in Chicago.
University Spotlight: Loyola Marymount University
Name of Program: Loyola Marymount University – Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Executive Director: David Y Choi, Ph.D.
Overview: Loyola Marymount University (LMU) was one of the very first universities in the United States to offer an entrepreneurship program in 1972. Our program is also one of the best. We have been consistently ranked as one of the top programs in the country – No. 6 and No. 14 in 2016 according to U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review, respectively. All that said, our goal is simple: Helping our students become super-successful entrepreneurs.
University Spotlight: University of Houston
Name of Program: Bauer College of Business’s Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship (WCE)
Location: Houston, TX
Director: David Cook
Overview: The University of Houston offers opportunities for students to become certified in corporate, social, or technological entrepreneurship paths. Students who obtain one of these certifications along with a BBA are given an edge in today’s competitive job market. At the graduate level, students are given the responsibility of managing the Cougar Venture Fund. This is a million dollar operation where they work with an advisory board of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and angel investors to analyze and invest in early-stage technology companies.
University Spotlight: University of Michigan
Name of Program: The Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (ZLI)
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Executive Director: Dr. Stewart Thornhill
Overview: The University of Michigan focuses on the importance of creativity and innovation. Combining these values with well-rounded education gives its students not only the building blocks to build their own future, but also the confidence to do so. There has been an estimated total of $68,020,525.00 raised in funds by UM graduates in the last five years, along with a total of 323 startups launched.
University Spotlight: University of Oklahoma
Name of Program: The Tom Love Center for Entrepreneurship (TLC)
Location: Norman, OK
Executive Director: Jim Wheeler
Overview: The TLC currently offers 28 entrepreneurship-related undergraduate courses. However, the real value of the program is the activities and communities available to the students. Students enrolled in the program have access to resources like TEDxOU talks and Entrepreneurship Symposiums where industry experts share their knowledge on market trends, entrepreneurial experiences, and the latest progress in design, tech, and media. To date, UO graduates have started 43 companies and have collectively raised ,963,700 in funding.
Are you familiar with other Universities you would suggest we spotlight? If so, share your comments below!
