Grassroots entrepreneurial program: developing best practices

Abstract

Entrepreneurial programs often do not address the needs of Millennial learners nor do they offer students an opportunity to enhance skills that companies want most. We examined high recognition programs and present a framework that incorporates their positive attributes and addresses their gaps. Top entrepreneurship programs employ professors with entrepreneurial backgrounds, and offer experiential classes that are supplemented by well-financed extra-curricular activities like pitch contests. The gaps in current top programs include a lack of a full entrepreneurial experience for students and a need for students to gain skill sets most desired by organizations. We present a framework for transferring best practice attributes to a start-up program that also addresses the gaps outlined. This framework includes having professors with entrepreneurial experience who teach a selection of courses comparable to those offered by top programs, activities where students learn teamwork, communication, and other skills desired most by companies, and an immersive component such as a practicum or internship where students are fully immersed in an entrepreneurial experience. Teaching methods that utilize active learning, immediate application of concepts, informal learning environments, and a strong interpersonal relationship with faculty combine to enhance the Millennial students’ learning experiences and produce positive stakeholder outcomes.