1. E-Scholars Program
A COLLABORATIVE UNDERGRADUATE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
AMONG
UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND (OR)
ST BENEDICTS/ST JOHNS (MN)
ST MARYS UNIVERSITY (TX)
Winner - USASBE Outstanding Specialty Program 2001/2012
2. Purpose of E-Scholars Programs
E-Scholars is a comprehensive entrepreneurial
development program for undergraduate students
in all majors
The program gives students from any major on
participant campuses an opportunity to identify an
opportunity, then implement and lead a business
enterprise that aims to be best in class
3. Entrepreneur Scholars Program Format
Program combines:
classroom work
interaction with world-class entrepreneurs and enterprises
participation in local, national and international “ecosystem”
domestic and international business travel
applied learning
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4. Program History
Created at University of Portland in 1999
Expanded in 2004 – 2006 with Grant from
Coleman Foundation
St. Johns University and College of Saint Benedict,
Minnesota
St. Mary’s University, Texas
Available to many more
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5. Six Core Principles
1. Represent entrepreneurship as a noble vocation
2. Strive for excellence
3. Develop talent
4. Believe in a self-conscious education
5. Believe in building communities
6. Be resource providers
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6. Use Classrooms without Boundaries
Travel domestic and international
Visits to entrepreneurs
Guest lecturers
Visiting entrepreneur mentors
Multiple faculty
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7. Three Core Courses/Adapted at Each School
1. Creating World Class Organizations:
how opportunities and innovations are developed
into world-class ventures;
2. Global Entrepreneurship: global feasibility of
innovations, global implications on innovation and
how innovation can solve global problems;
3. The Entrepreneur Apprenticeship: supported
venture launch or apprenticeships
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8. E-Scholars Curriculum
BUS481 Entrepreneurship Apprenticeship (3)
Venture Launch/Prototyping
Entrepreneurial Internships
Projects
Fall 2011 Spring 2012
BUS480
BUS482
World-Class Venture
Creation (3) Global Entrepreneurship
(3)
Ideation/Opp. Assess.
Business Models
Feasibility Analysis
Intl. Aspects/Culture
Business Plan & Pitch
9. Make Use of Individualized Learning Plans
Each student :
Explores their own industry of interest
Visits entrepreneurs in their areas of interest
Attends workshops, lectures, etc
Creates own venture plan
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11. Inter-institutional and University-wide
Faculty Teams from multiple disciplines
Faculty from Business, Engineering, Sciences, Social Sciences
Development and Alumni Relations Offices
Entrepreneurship Center Director
Broad reach to students across all majors
Brief all faculty annually
Help to identify potential students and encourage them to seek out
more info and apply
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12. E-Scholar Student Consortium
2 Day Student Consortium Combining Students of
All Schools Each Winter
Elevator Pitch Competition - $500 prize
“24 Hour Business Plan” Competition – Inter-institutional
Teams
Entrepreneurship Knowledge Team Playoff
13. Active and Challenging Set of Co-curricular Events
Program Event Timeline
October/November- Idea Bash/Business Pitch
E-scholars Fall Break – NYC/Silicon Valley Best
Practices Tour
February – Invention to Venture or Similar Event
Late February – E-scholar Student Consortium
Christmas or Spring Break – International Business
Trip
April-$100K Business Plan Competition
14. Continuous Evolution of Content & Delivery
Faculty Consortium each Summer for Lessons
Learned/Best Practices
Adapting program for new approaches to means-
driven entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation
Entrepreneurship faculty at all institutions continue
to research and integrate changes and best practices
in the field
18. A car sharing program
• Partnering with Enterprise
• Started fall 2011
19. Challenges and Lessons Learned
Keeping curriculum fresh, individualized and locally
relevant while maintaining program principles.
Exchange of ideas and best practices, not rigorous
timelines, books, activities
Students have regional differences, styles, etc. based
on institution, but have developed similar core
knowledge, skills, confidence and values – all
focused on identifying an opportunity and executing
well on it to create value, meaning and change
The World is Flat – similar exposure, attitudes and
goals
20. Growing the Consortium of
E-Scholar Campuses
Consortium supports all E-Scholar Campuses that
commit to core program and its values
Consortium members communicate regularly,
faculty teams meet annually, students gather
annually
Opportunities for students to broaden there reach
and compete with others that have similar
curriculum and experiences
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