Dear friends,
As the fall semester gets underway, campus is coming to life with the energy and excitement of a new academic year. Incoming freshmen are embarking on a significant new chapter. Meanwhile, seniors are preparing to take the final steps in their academic journey, poised to launch their careers with a freshly minted business degree from Carson College.
In this issue of eDividend, we highlight how our programs and initiatives are cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs, equipped with the skills and vision needed to navigate and shape the future of business. The entrepreneurship program is a cornerstone of the Carson College, offering benefits to students from across the university system as it continues to grow in enrollment. The number of undergraduate minors and majors in entrepreneurship has risen from 103 in 2019, to 157 this past academic year. Nearly 600 students from across all majors were enrolled to take entrepreneurship classes.
Our feature on AgRooted, a Coug-founded agritourism business, shows how Carson classes and programs designed to support student entrepreneurs can inspire innovative business ideas and provide a launch pad to get them off the ground. In the past 10 years alone, more than 20 businesses have been launched with the help of Carson programs.
At WSU Tri-Cities, our three-course entrepreneurship series demonstrates our dedication to leveraging industry partnerships. These collaborations are essential in offering a progressive business education that empowers our students to address the most pressing challenges of the twenty-first century and beyond.
With the appointment of Paul Warner as the executive director of WSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship, we are further solidifying our investment in programs that produce career-ready entrepreneurs. His leadership will undoubtedly enhance our capacity to support and launch new ventures.
The 2024 Business Plan Competition showcased the incredible talent and ambition within our community. Altogether, the top teams earned more than $50,000 in seed money, providing crucial funding to bring their ideas to life. Second-place winner team PicsGenie took part in the Jones Milestones Accelerator this summer, securing additional money to propel their new business that allows people to use generative AI to design and purchase clothing.
We also feature graduates from our online MBA programs who are successful entrepreneurs. MBA alum John Howerton is the cofounder of Cord Analytics, an investing platform simplifying stock analysis for everyday users. His story illustrates how our graduates are leveraging cutting-edge tools like generative AI to revolutionize and expand their industries. Our feature on executive MBA alum and entrepreneur Bobby Wiese reveals how he has used his degree training to improve his business that creates high-end metal products for architectural purposes.
The Carson College is proud to be a catalyst for entrepreneurial growth and a leader in contemporary business education. I encourage you to join us in celebrating the achievements of our remarkable students, faculty, and alumni.
Together, we will continue to build a community that inspires innovation, drives change, and prepares future-ready entrepreneurs.
Go Cougs!
Debbie Compeau, Interim Dean