Stand out. Build in-demand skills. Launch your career.

The Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy is a two-course experience for highly motivated students who want to strengthen their critical thinking and problem solving, leadership, and professional communication skills while gaining meaningful experience solving real-world organizational challenges. Students are expected to participate in both semesters. The Academy helps students complete their respective programs as study as shown below:

BA in Enterprise Leadership - one leadership course and the capstone requirement.

BBA in Entrepreneurship - two course elective requirement.

Certificate In Entrepreneurship - two course elective requirement

* For other majors, please consult with your academic advisor to see if the program can be applied to your major or other graduation requirements

Benefits of the Academy include:

• Solve real-world challenges — Build your skills by working on actual organizational challenges with real clients.
• Learn from accomplished leaders — Hear directly from over a dozen successful entrepreneurs and organizational leaders and gain insights you won't get from a traditional classroom.
• Get personalized career coaching — Work one-on-one with your faculty lead and select alumni who can help you apply your strengths, navigate the job search, and prepare for your transition into the workplace.
• Build your professional network — Develop relationships with business leaders, mentors, clients, faculty, and other high-achieving students.
• Earn recognition at graduation — Receive special honor cords recognizing your achievement in the Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy.

Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy I (Fall Semester):

Students develop their analytical thinking, strategic problem-solving, teamwork, and professional presentation skills through multiple two- to three-week consulting sprints for existing organizations. Each sprint challenges students to quickly understand a real organizational issue, conduct research and analysis, develop recommendations, and present their solutions to a client. Students also assess and develop their personal leadership style, hear directly from 12+ successful entrepreneurs and organizational leaders, and receive one-on-one career mentoring and coaching to help them identify their strengths, prepare for the job search, and successfully transition from college to the workplace. There are no tests or quizzes in this course; it is an applied, experiential course focused on professional skill development, leadership growth, and learning by doing.

Entrepreneurship Leadership Academy II (Spring Semester):

Students leverage the skills developed in the first course to complete an advanced 15-week strategic consulting project for a real organization. Working in teams, students engage directly with the client’s executive leadership to understand a significant business challenge, develop and execute a research and analysis plan, evaluate alternatives, and develop actionable strategic recommendations. This capstone experience gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their entrepreneurial mindset, strategic thinking, leadership, problem-solving, project management, and professional communication skills in a real business setting. Students conclude the experience by delivering a comprehensive final report and executive presentation to client leadership. Students will also hear from several alumni leaders throughout the semester. No tests or quizzes are included in this course. This is an immersive, hands-on experience designed to help students demonstrate the skills employers value and be prepared to contribute from day one in their careers.