Two new majors in the Business School provide entrepreneurship and sustainability opportunities
(-- The Beacon)
By Kate Peifer Staff Writer peifer14@up.edu
This fall, the Pamplin School of Business split the marketing and management major into two new majors: entrepreneurship and innovation management, as well as marketing and sustainability. The purpose of the split, according to Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Erica Jones, is to offer greater specialization in each field.
"Globally, there is a need for students to get in-depth skills," Jones said. "We are now able to cater to both majors by bringing in alumni who specialize in each."
Plans for the majors began two years ago and were reviewed by faculty in the Business School. The plans for both majors were officially approved last year, according to Director for Entrepreneurship Jon Down.
The mission of the entrepreneurship and innovation management major is to prepare students in the construction and management of projects singularly and collectively.
"The motivation behind the new major is a high demand and interest from students in entrepreneurship and innovation," Down said. "It is also not just for students with entrepreneur ideas, but for students to work at innovative companies like Nike."
According to Down, the new entrepreneurship major gives students the opportunity to be more hands-on. For example, students can pitch new ideas through the online program, Idea Bash, and receive feedback from professionals such as business consultants, analysts, expert entrepreneurs and UP business graduates.
"The Center for Entrepreneurship has been around for 12 years and the programs have grown," Down said. "But it's never had anything geared toward this major."
Entrepreneur Scholars Program, a competitive program that allows students the opportunity to construct new business ideas, improve current enterprises and travel to meet with business leaders, has also been combined with the entrepreneurship major, allowing an overlap in course requirements.
The primary mission of the new marketing and sustainability major is to understand marketing in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability.
"That's why I came to UP because what's cool is its entrepreneurship opportunities," junior marketing and sustainability major Kyler Matosich said. "I am really interested because I want to own my own business."
Freshmen, sophomores and juniors can declare entrepreneurship and innovation management or marketing and sustainability as their major.
"I don't think there are a lot of students aware of the majors," Down said. "So I'm happy to let it be known."
