Entrepreneurship
The Entrepreneurship major and minor at RWU are individualized, experiential programs for the prospective traditional and corporate entrepreneur. Students are supported by community mentors, learn from guest speakers, and conduct undergraduate research. Students will acquire the skills to launch and manage their own business or side hustle.
The Entrepreneurship program, through both its major and minor, creates strong leaders, creative thinkers, and exemplary colleagues.
We emphasize the entrepreneurial mindset. You will learn to think like an entrepreneur whether in your own new venture or by spearheading innovation within an established organization.
Through rigorous academic coursework, insights from prolific guest speakers, and comprehensive practical experiences, as a student in our program, you will:
- Apply entrepreneurial thinking to solve real-world problems, both in startups and established companies.
- Lead and manage teams with a focus on innovation and results.
- Adapt and thrive in dynamic and challenging environments, ensuring sustainability and success.
- Approach your career and personal goals with unwavering determination and grit.
We focus on on positive individual transformation by teaching students to continuously improve, to develop resilience, and to create and pursue their vision with unyielding determination.
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Launch Businesses That Profit
While most programs focus on teaching just one entrepreneurial process, we teach three. This allows us to provide a significantly more individualized path that allows you to do two things:
- Double your odds of attaining a profit at key points in the life of your new venture; and
- Significantly reduce the odds of your new venture failing at key points.
We accomplish this through specific coursework designed to teach each process, regular work with guest speakers and mentors, and leadership opportunities within the program itself.
Entrepreneurship is for Everyone
Have you dreamed of owning your own business? Many people will find themselves owning their own new venture at some point in their life. Anyone in the arts hoping to own their own studio, anyone in healthcare whether mental or physical hoping to own their own clinic, and anyone hoping to engage in creative endeavors such as writing and graphic design will all gain the skills necessary to do so in the Entrepreneurship minor or as a double major.
Value Propositions
- The entrepreneurial mindset
- Knowledge, skills, and abilities to start a business
- Presentation skills
- Creative and innovating thinking
- High personal growth
- Continuous improvement
- Leadership
- Networking
- Mentorship
- Guest speakers from industry
- Emotional intelligence
- Collaboration
- Extracurriculars
- Competitions and other resume items
Experiential Learning
- Learn from exceptional guest speakers, currently practicing in the field of entrepreneurship.
- Conduct research to write your own original case studies.
- Work with professors toward academic publication.
- Work as consultants with local entrepreneurs to help solve the real problems that keep them up at night.
Collegiate Entrepreneur's Organization
Our chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization is for those interested in growing themselves outside of the classroom! If you're interested in growing your business or just rubbing shoulders with other driven, like-minded students, come check us out! We have guest speakers, collaborate on businesses and business ideas to help one another reach the next level. No matter where you are is in your journey, you'll find friendly, helpful people in this group. We have fun, too!
More than just a RWU phenomenon, our chapter is just one of over 250 chapters nationally as part of a network of entrepreneurs over 16,500 strong. The organization provides regional and global events, competitions, experiential learning, and many, many online resources dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs!
Learn from Faculty Experts
Peter Hahn
During Peter Hahn's business career he served in various senior management positions in the pharmaceutical, medical device and medical software industries. More recently, he guided three medical technology start-ups in New England to market as Founder, President and CEO. In the last five years he has been on the Faculty of the Gabelli School of Business, Roger Williams University here in Rhode Island. At RWU, he teaches Entrepreneurship and Management theory and practice. In addition to his teaching, Peter has organized and directed three RWU student project teams focused on enterprise strategy and planning, and finance with SVPRI entrepreneurs. His mentoring interests are competitive and marketing strategy, budgeting and finance for start-ups, and sustainability.
Scott Burke
As a practitioner for more than 30 years, Scott Burke brings his experiences in small, medium, and large sized companies to the classroom. He has held positions at all levels, from entry-level to mid-level positions (sales representative, manager, director), and all the way up to senior management positions (VP, SVP, President). He has been involved in start-up companies as well as mergers and acquisitions. Dr. Burke was the President of Affinity Marketing Group (AMG), a leading provider of loyalty programs to national affinity groups and their members. Prior to joining Affinity Marketing Group, Scott devoted 18 years to publicly traded corporations and entrepreneurial start-up ventures. His executive experience encompassed positions as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Saucony, Inc., a leading manufacturer of athletic footwear, athletic apparel, and bicycles; Vice President, Business Development for S&H Greenpoints, the reincarnation of S&H Green Stamps; and Vice President, Marketing and Product Development for CraftHouse International, a leading manufacturer of activity toys, educational toys, sport toys, crafts, and hobbies.