Designing And Launching The Entrepreneurship And Innovation Living Learning Program For Freshmen And Sophomores

Based on the surge in demand for undergraduate programs in entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Maryland and throughout the country, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program was launched in Fall 2010 for freshmen and sophomores. This living-learning Honors academic Program combines small classes taught by exceptional faculty with the wide range of additional education opportunities offered by a large research institution. For the living component of the Program, all students will reside in an exclusive Program residence hall for both years. Through company creation, courses, seminars, workshops, competitions, and volunteerism, students are part of a special experiential learning model. The academic component of the Program includes four courses totaling nine credits, with all students enrolling in one course per semester for each of their four semesters in the Program. At Mtech, an A. James Clark School of Engineering institute for technology entrepreneurship and innovation, there is the belief that a firm grasp of the entrepreneurial process and mindset benefits every person engaged in developing new ideas. A core goal of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program is to infuse freshmen and sophomore students with that knowledge and its accompanying skills. Armed with an entrepreneurial mindset, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program students and alumni can drive economic growth by launching successful ventures and/or joining innovative companies to bring life-changing products and services to market. By filling a critical gap in the University's entrepreneurship and innovation offerings at the freshmen and sophomore level, the new living-learning Program can improve student¬¬ recruitment, enhance student enrichment, and contribute to the overall quality and rankings of the University of Maryland. This paper serves as the first of a series of papers addressing the design, launch, and management of this new Program. Subsequent papers will include observations, results, and new developments with the Program.