The Word is Out! ... And it's "Entrepreneurship!"
"If you want to learn business ... make one," explained Sergio Legorreta, an interactive media major, who eagerly enrolled in Webster's new and innovative Certificate in Entrepreneurship program.
"Instead of getting a business minor, this certificate has the advantage of focusing on an individual's goals," Legorreta continued. "It's geared to work more with the student and assist them, while a typical minor in business is set up to fit the needs of many and can often become too generalized. I believe the best way to learn is by doing–less theory and more projects. Learn the 'how to' knowledge and get started in your career."
The new certificate in entrepreneurship program is a cross-curriculum, six-course program that teaches students basic business techniques with the intention of ensuring a chance to succeed as business people, no matter what their field of study.
The business courses include studies in small business and financial management, arts management and marketing. Students also complete two elective courses within their major, and finish with a capstone course where they develop an achievable business plan that could be used when they graduate. Each business plan is reviewed by entrepreneurial businesspeople such as inventors, franchisers and chief executive officers–all who provide practical and viable real-world feedback.
The new certificate has tracks in the business, music and photography departments, and plans to develop tracks across each school and college in numerous fields of study are underway.
Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Ph.D., dean of the School of Business and Technology, is also proposing an apprenticeship be added as part of the educational experience where students are matched up with participating entrepreneurial professionals to try to make the educational experience more practical and hands-on.
Through his studies in the certificate program, Matthew Curtis has already learned that most companies flop without a marketing plan with a S.W.O.T. analysis in place (S.W.O.T. - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats).
"I really don't know if I want to open a business of my own or run one with someone else," said Curtis, a management major, who is considering several types of business plans with friends.
"It fits into a 'renaissance man' style of education," explained Tim Merritt, another student in the program and a photography major. "I need this certificate to run my own business. Since I have my own techniques and agendas, a self-owned business seems to be in my future. However, because of my major, I don't have a business background that is solid enough to help me operate independently. This certificate will hopefully provide me with enough know-how in the small business sector to accomplish my goals. I am really finding that it is more of an advantage to get to know how the larger portion of society runs."
"I could never open my business if I hadn't enrolled in the program," Merritt added.
"The entrepreneurs recruited for the program have gigantic companies now–but started out very small, so that gives me hope that I can do the same," explained Paul Shanker, a music major, who is also an advocate of the program. "This certificate will help me with my goals by giving me several career path options as well as helping me avoid the pitfalls that come with inexperience."
Barrett Baebler, a business professor in the Management Department within the School of Business and Technology, collaborated with Bill Barrett, chair of electronic and photographic media in the School of Communications, and Michael Parkinson, chair of the music department in the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts, to develop the certificate. Baebler believed the cross-curriculum approach was better than developing individual programs within each school and college.
Another big fan of the entrepreneurship concept Erin Whitson, emphasized, "I already have a better understanding of how I can apply business practices to my photography and position myself with a better footing for the business world. I feel more confident because I am gaining a basic understanding of how businesses get started and succeed. The reality of the world is that when you graduate you are a commodity, and it is a great thing to know how to best market yourself–to examine other photographers and how they do business so that you can identify your unique selling points."
"I also joined the entrepreneurship program so I will have a better idea of what I should do when I graduate with a degree in music," agreed Abbie Hainz. "Many of my friends with music degrees have a hard time finding work or promoting themselves as musicians. The most applicable material I have learned so far is about copyright laws."
According to Emily Martz, the certificate will give her the foundation to start up her own business because of the business plan component. "So far, everything I have learned has been significant because I lacked that business knowledge," added Martz, also a photography major. I have also kept in mind that it's okay to fail if you can take that experience and learn from it so that you can create a stronger business."
"I decided to enroll to help me with my lawn service," explained Rick Zelle, a video production major. "Although my business has worked okay for me so far, I wish to expand it. And to do that, I need to learn more about business in general. Because Webster's tracks coincide with different majors, it can really open up a new perspective for each student. While you are learning the mechanical skills of your major, you are also learning how to follow business structure. I am realizing that a well-written business plan can also determine whether or not somebody's business idea is even feasible."
"Education should provide 'big picture' concepts, but also serve more as an assistant to help you begin your career," added Legorreta. "Besides teaching me some of the processes, regulations and financial aspects of managing a small business, the entrepreneurship program has gotten me started and worked as a great coach/mentor."
Approved in November 2005, this hot new program had more than 25 students enrolled in its first semester, January 2006. Since January, almost three times that number of students have inquired about summer and fall semesters, making it one of Webster's hottest new offerings.
To talk to a representative about this program, please visit www.webster.edu/entrepreneurship.
"Instead of getting a business minor, this certificate has the advantage of focusing on an individual's goals," Legorreta continued. "It's geared to work more with the student and assist them, while a typical minor in business is set up to fit the needs of many and can often become too generalized. I believe the best way to learn is by doing–less theory and more projects. Learn the 'how to' knowledge and get started in your career."
The new certificate in entrepreneurship program is a cross-curriculum, six-course program that teaches students basic business techniques with the intention of ensuring a chance to succeed as business people, no matter what their field of study.
The business courses include studies in small business and financial management, arts management and marketing. Students also complete two elective courses within their major, and finish with a capstone course where they develop an achievable business plan that could be used when they graduate. Each business plan is reviewed by entrepreneurial businesspeople such as inventors, franchisers and chief executive officers–all who provide practical and viable real-world feedback.
The new certificate has tracks in the business, music and photography departments, and plans to develop tracks across each school and college in numerous fields of study are underway.
Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Ph.D., dean of the School of Business and Technology, is also proposing an apprenticeship be added as part of the educational experience where students are matched up with participating entrepreneurial professionals to try to make the educational experience more practical and hands-on.
Through his studies in the certificate program, Matthew Curtis has already learned that most companies flop without a marketing plan with a S.W.O.T. analysis in place (S.W.O.T. - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats).
"I really don't know if I want to open a business of my own or run one with someone else," said Curtis, a management major, who is considering several types of business plans with friends.
"It fits into a 'renaissance man' style of education," explained Tim Merritt, another student in the program and a photography major. "I need this certificate to run my own business. Since I have my own techniques and agendas, a self-owned business seems to be in my future. However, because of my major, I don't have a business background that is solid enough to help me operate independently. This certificate will hopefully provide me with enough know-how in the small business sector to accomplish my goals. I am really finding that it is more of an advantage to get to know how the larger portion of society runs."
"I could never open my business if I hadn't enrolled in the program," Merritt added.
"The entrepreneurs recruited for the program have gigantic companies now–but started out very small, so that gives me hope that I can do the same," explained Paul Shanker, a music major, who is also an advocate of the program. "This certificate will help me with my goals by giving me several career path options as well as helping me avoid the pitfalls that come with inexperience."
Barrett Baebler, a business professor in the Management Department within the School of Business and Technology, collaborated with Bill Barrett, chair of electronic and photographic media in the School of Communications, and Michael Parkinson, chair of the music department in the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts, to develop the certificate. Baebler believed the cross-curriculum approach was better than developing individual programs within each school and college.
Another big fan of the entrepreneurship concept Erin Whitson, emphasized, "I already have a better understanding of how I can apply business practices to my photography and position myself with a better footing for the business world. I feel more confident because I am gaining a basic understanding of how businesses get started and succeed. The reality of the world is that when you graduate you are a commodity, and it is a great thing to know how to best market yourself–to examine other photographers and how they do business so that you can identify your unique selling points."
"I also joined the entrepreneurship program so I will have a better idea of what I should do when I graduate with a degree in music," agreed Abbie Hainz. "Many of my friends with music degrees have a hard time finding work or promoting themselves as musicians. The most applicable material I have learned so far is about copyright laws."
According to Emily Martz, the certificate will give her the foundation to start up her own business because of the business plan component. "So far, everything I have learned has been significant because I lacked that business knowledge," added Martz, also a photography major. I have also kept in mind that it's okay to fail if you can take that experience and learn from it so that you can create a stronger business."
"I decided to enroll to help me with my lawn service," explained Rick Zelle, a video production major. "Although my business has worked okay for me so far, I wish to expand it. And to do that, I need to learn more about business in general. Because Webster's tracks coincide with different majors, it can really open up a new perspective for each student. While you are learning the mechanical skills of your major, you are also learning how to follow business structure. I am realizing that a well-written business plan can also determine whether or not somebody's business idea is even feasible."
"Education should provide 'big picture' concepts, but also serve more as an assistant to help you begin your career," added Legorreta. "Besides teaching me some of the processes, regulations and financial aspects of managing a small business, the entrepreneurship program has gotten me started and worked as a great coach/mentor."
Approved in November 2005, this hot new program had more than 25 students enrolled in its first semester, January 2006. Since January, almost three times that number of students have inquired about summer and fall semesters, making it one of Webster's hottest new offerings.
To talk to a representative about this program, please visit www.webster.edu/entrepreneurship.
