An insider's perspective on entrepreneurial program development at a small and a large institution

Area of Science:

• Business Education
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• Entrepreneurship education programs are increasingly vital in higher education.
• Existing programs offer valuable lessons for new and evolving initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the development of new entrepreneurship programs at a private liberal arts institution and a large research university.
• To identify common successful strategies applicable to various institutional sizes.

Main Methods:

• Comparative case study analysis of two distinct institutional settings.
• Identification of common themes and successful elements ('what worked') from program development.

Main Results:

• Key themes for success include identifying institutional champions and engaging the 'student supply chain'.
• Offering both non-credit, experiential opportunities and dynamic for-credit courses is crucial.
• Strategies like faculty partnerships, advisory boards, and bootstrapping skills enhance resource availability.

Conclusions:

• Institutions can leverage identified themes to launch or refine entrepreneurship programs.
• A strategic approach to resource management and diverse program offerings supports program growth and sustainability.