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Now that the first month of school and the busy work that comes with it is behind you, the business of getting down to entrepreneurial brass tacks can begin.
Rhode Island is a bit of an embarrassment of riches for the student (of any age) looking to learn how to be a better entrepreneur — or start completely from scratch.
In this guide, we'll outline resources for both enrolled students and those outside the fold of local colleges and universities to make the journey a bit easier.
Think we're missing something? Reach out, here.
Brown University
For Enrolled Students:
- This school quite literally has a entrepreneurship hub, aptly named the Jonathan M. Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship. Of its many resources, the 2016-born center boasts event series (not just for Brown-enrolled students), mentorship, and faculty, with plans for a permanent physical center and more resources in the future. "Brown has always had entrepreneurship in its DNA. You can see it in the school's approach to learning —through the open curriculum — and also in the types of students and faculty who come to college hill, many of whom have a strong interdisciplinary and creative streak. People aren't afraid to push the boundaries or to combine things in new and interesting ways," said Jonas Clark, associate director of the Center. "And this approach is reflected too, in the way we teach entrepreneurship at the Nelson Center: that it's fundamentally a methodology for solving problems, one that can be used in business, sure, but which can also be applied to a wide array of different kinds of challenges — from policy, to social issues, to the way we pursue critical research questions."
For All:
- Brown University’s Breakthrough Lab (B-Lab) is for those developing high-impact ventures, and its ultimate goal is to help entrepreneurs "build the next great thing," its website states. This eight-week accelerator provides participants with funding, mentors, space to work, and a pitch competition, among other resources. Those interested in applying for the next cohort can read more here. NOTE: To be considered for participation, applicants must have at least one Brown or RISD student founder on their team.
- Brown Universtiy Entreprenuerial Program is Brown's flagship entreprenurial resource for students, looking to "ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of the students on College Hill." While at first blush, EP seems like a student-only program (and in someways, it is; consider its Innovation Dojo, a workshop series for Brown and RISD students), it has a suite of resources available to all. There's a newsletter, recommended reading, and videos of past events, all for user digestion on its site.
Bryant University
For Enrolled Students:
- Bryant offers courses in entrepreneurship, like entrepreneurial marketing, finance, and how to create a venture, among others. Interested students can also pursue an entrepreneurial concentration.
Community College of Rhode Island
For Enrolled Students:
CCRI's one-year business administration program offers a concentration in entrepreneurship, alternately known as its Entrepreneurial Certification Program. The certificate "provides individuals with a basic understanding of the principles, concepts and procedures necessary to start a small business," its website states.
Johnson and Wales University
For Faculty (And Enrolled Students):
- The Faculty Center or Academic Excellence & Innovation, established as part of the school's Centennial Plan, looks to inspire educational excellence within its faculty by providing programs that better support educators' work, as well as provide them with career development. It's headquartered on JWU's Providence campus.
Providence College
For Enrolled Students:
- The Providence College Businesses Education Innovation Center has a three-pronged goal: "to stimulate, promote, and enhance innovation and comprehension in collegiate business education; to research, evaluate and curate best classroom-practices, both at Providence College and in the larger community for collegiate business education, and to earn our position as the respected authority and global resource for best classroom practices and their propagation in collegiate business education," its website states. It does this a number of different ways, like:
- Ruane Award for Business Education Innovation: Potential award winners may submit publications and manuscripts that deal specifically on businesses education invocation. Finalists receive a $5,000 award.
- Providence College Entrepreneurship Society: A group for students, faculty and PC alumni to connect and develop "innovative ventures."
RISD
For Enrolled Students:
- E'ship is an entrepreneurship organization for RISD students looking to build design-focused business ventures and foster relationships with RISD mentors and other, like-minded students.
- RISD Executive Education's Design for Manufacturing Innovation Certificate Program for leaders in, well, design manufacturing. It's existed since Fall of 2016, and has graduated two cohorts since. “This group of people now has a new mindset and new skillset to catalyze innovation in new ways,” Ross said in an interview with Rhode Island Inno. “[The program] made that personal connection at high levels — that’s one of the outcomes that they all responded to.”
For All:
- RISD's Mindshare Conference is an annual examination of how "school alumni launch personal projects, start businesses, ignite innovation and make social impact," its website states. An annual RISD fixture since 2011 (with a one-year break in 2014), the conference will have its 2017 run Saturday, November 4.
Rhode Island College
For Enrolled Students:
- The Rhode Island College Innovation Lab is a partnership between the College and the Central Falls School District. It's the country's first collaboration of its kind, and looks to create a PK-12 and post-secondary urban education model for replication across America.
Roger Williams University
For Enrolled Students:
- Of its many Student Senate-charted clubs, Roger Williams boasts an entrepreneur's club and a global business club.
Salve Regina
For Enrolled Students:
- The Strategic Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club is a space to foster the growth of an innovative and entrepreneurial setting amongst the Salve Regina community," its website states. "By creating a space and community that offers resources and support for entrepreneurial endeavors, there will be more opportunity for students to get hands on experience in the business setting."
- The Economics and Global Business Club allows students to "challenge themselves with new ideas, concepts and topics."
University of Rhode Island
For Enrolled Students:
- In an effort to better prepare students with the knowledge that spurs entrepreneurs in today's innovation-driven business landscape, URI offers an aptly named one-year MBA in Strategic Innovation, based out of its URI Feinstein Providence Campus. "Innovation, continuous improvement, and performance are some of the focused topics for our program," its website states. "Integral to the program is a business innovation environment — a learning environment that fosters knowledge acquisition, retention, and practical learning."
- The Women in Business group aims to empower female students on campus as they prepare to pursue business ventures in college and beyond. "Women in Business is a club where all demographics can come together and unite under the common goal of advancing the success of women in the workplace, and empowering women to break through any societal barriers that may be presented before them," said Lucy Moyes, president of WiB. "We meet once a month at URI, and we have a myriad of different events: from professional speakers who come in and tell us about their journey and offer us advice, to professional workshops where you can get feedback on how your resume looks and how to create a LinkedIn profile, etc. Our meetings are almost completely run and attended by URI business students."
