THE JACOBSON Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship at The University of Iowa is a comprehensive program that enriches K-12 students’ lives through classroom and practical educational experiences. Built on three key components—teacher education, development of innovative curriculum, and outreach opportunities—the Jacobson Institute provides opportunities for both instruction and practice in entrepreneurship.
The Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship gives educators the tools they need to teach the “entrepreneurial mindset”—that is, to encourage creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and problem solving, and to prepare students for success in the worlds of business and entrepreneurship.
The Jacobson Institute provides face-to-face entrepreneurship training for high school teachers, along with interested middle school and community college educators in Iowa. Since the inception of the entrepreneurship secondary teacher training program in summer 2000, more than 330 educators from 220 school districts across Iowa have participated.
Teachers learn strategies and methods for incorporating entrepreneurship education across disciplines.Teachers learn strategies and methods for incorporating entrepreneurship education across disciplines. Training includes an overview of entrepreneurship, opportunity recognition, innovation and creativity, entrepreneurial finance, and business planning.
Encouraging Entrepreneurial Engagement at All Ages
The Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship is part of a larger university effort encouraging entrepreneurial engagement at all ages. In 1996, the University created the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) through a generous gift from John and Mary Pappajohn. Through a strong commitment to engage people of all ages in entrepreneurship education, JPEC began offering youth entrepreneurship programs in 1999. In 2007, Richard Jacobson, founder and chairman of the board of the Jacobson Companies made the creation of the Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship possible. The Jacobson Institute and JPEC work collectively to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit.
