EMBEDDED in the liberal arts tradition, the entrepreneurial studies program at Muhlenberg College recognizes that entrepreneurship is fundamentally about the identification of rewarding opportunities for individuals and communities at large, as well as developing and implementing solutions to constantly evolving challenges. Solutions are entrepreneurial in that they create value, be it social, economic, or both. Throughout the entrepreneurship studies program students work on developing their ability to recognize problems and to cultivate creative and viable solutions.
Throughout the entrepreneurship studies program students work on developing their ability to recognize problems and to cultivate creative and viable solutions.

Entrepreneur-In-Residence

At the heart of the program is the connection between theory and practice, implemented in both the classroom and in the design of the program. Faculty represent a unique combination of both the academic and practitioner presence. In addition to academic faculty members, courses are also taught by an “entrepreneur-in-residence” who is a current or former entrepreneur with significant experience in the start-up and operation of entrepreneurial ventures.

Learning from Local Entrepreneurs

Muhlenberg also works to maintain dynamic connections with the local entrepreneurs in the surrounding community and cultivate opportunities for students to learn from those entrepreneurs in the midst of building businesses. For example, in the BUS351 Entrepreneurial Studies course during spring 2009, student teams met with a local entrepreneur launching his second business, and worked with him on a range of projects for his home automation start-up company. Teams tackled issues including researching opportunities in the sustainable energy and green consumer movement for the company, developing models of recurring income streams based on the current products and services offered, and business plan development for both the launch and growth of the company.

These interactions offer a fertile ground for students to have an immediate context in which to apply theory, and expose them to the local business community in ways that can further their own development beyond the walls of Muhlenberg.