Weber State Launches New Entrepreneurship Minor
OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University and the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics will formally kick off the new Hall Global Entrepreneurship Program on Oct. 16 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in the Wattis Business Building Smith Lecture Hall Room 206.The event will begin with an introduction from donors and members of the Weber Entrepreneur Association, followed by an open house and tours of the new Bill Child Startup Center. Visitors also will get a look at student projects. The event is free and open to the public.
The Hall Global Entrepreneurship Program is a new minor available to students from any major who seek an entrepreneurial path and meet admittance requirements. The idea is to encourage students to major in their passion such as music, art, computer science, political science or communication, and minor in entrepreneurship. Students can then combine the specialized knowledge of their majors with the real-world skills gained in their entrepreneurship minor to start their own businesses.
“The Hall Global Entrepreneurship program will provide best-in-class business practices for aspiring entrepreneurial trail blazers to properly launch and grow successful companies that can offer meaningful employment for the citizens of Utah and the world,” said Alan Hall, founder and managing director of Mercato Partners.
Currently, 22 students are enrolled in the minor. Course instructors are entrepreneurs who have experience starting and running businesses; students will benefit from their expertise both in and out of the classroom.
“Students will experience a great deal of time outside of the classroom working with customers, building products, generating sales, starting companies and hiring employees,” said Alex Lawrence, director of the Hall Global Entrepreneurship Program. “The goal is to help students start and run companies that produce revenue, profits and create jobs while they are still in school.”
Students pursuing this minor also have the opportunity to receive funding for their businesses. The top four student companies with the greatest number of customers and highest revenue will be eligible to receive a $25,000 startup loan to put toward their growing businesses during the final two courses of the minor. WSU will not take any equity from the companies, and loans have to be repaid only when the company exceeds $500,000 in revenue.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
- Melanie Ott, University Communications
801-626-7925 · melanieott@weber.edu - Contact:
- Lauren Andersen, development director, John B. Goddard School of Business & Education
801-626-8547 · laurenandersen@weber.edu
Alex Lawrence, director, Hall Global Entrepreneurship Program
801-626-8940 · alexanderlawrence@weber.edu