Students will have a new option when they choose their classes for the spring, when the first component of the new "Entrepreneurial Leadership" program is implemented next semester. The goal of the program is to provide involved students with a broad base for both entrepreneurship techniques in start-up companies and for roles within larger corporations.
Though the project is the brainchild of the Engineering Department, the minor and it classes will be open to all students. According to the program's proposal, it "will not only provide our students with learning opportunities and experiences, but will also serve our alumni and position Tufts is one of the top schools in this important area."
The inspiration for the program came after a survey of approximately 2,000 Tufts engineering alumni revealed that a vast majority of engineers work in an entrepreneurial environment after they graduate from Tufts. Since the University does not have a business program, these students had little to no background in the field, and many remarked that they would have preferred more preparation while at college.
The alumni information, as well as the teaching experience of Dean of Engineering Ioannis Miaoulis, served as the basis for the program's curriculum. Miaoulis taught a popular entrepreneurship class when he came to Tufts in 1985, and four companies started as a result of it.
"Organizations change because of entrepreneurs," Miaoulis said.
The minor itself will consist of five courses, four required core classes and one elective. The classes will cover topics such as entrepreneurship and business planning, leadership, marketing and strategy, finance, and field studies. More topics will be added to the curriculum as it begins to grow, and the program is expected to be up and running within three semesters.
Two of the core classes will be offered next semester and will be limited to 25 students per class. Since the minor encompasses such diverse topics, its founders hope the classes will appeal to both liberal arts and engineering students and will aid those who desire a broad-based business background.
Many students have expressed interest in the Entrepreneurial Leadership program and feel that adding business-related classes fills a hole in the Tufts curriculum. "It would be beneficial to have a program where I could learn the ins and outs [of entrepreneurship] and have a mentor who I could ask questions," said sophomore Tom Crawford, who would like to start a business upon graduation.
"A boy who lived in my hall last year transferred from Tufts because we did not have any sort of business program. I think this could help people like him who want that option," sophomore Anna Loeb said.
However, this broad-base appeal may turn out to be a problem, as program developers predict that there will be too many people interested in the new minor. Engineers only have a limited number of courses they may take from the liberal arts curriculum, and many opt for economics courses. If classes in the Entrepreneurial Leadership minor were offered, many may choose to take those as well, and getting into these classes might be difficult.
Since initiating a program this comprehensive costs a great deal of money, money will be a key factor in whether or all the proposed components are included when the program is completely implemented. The program coordinators will focus on fundraising efforts as one of their chief concerns, and they hope to accommodate demand for by adding more classes as time goes on.
Finding teachers for the courses is also high on program coordinators' agendas. Miaoulis said that they want teachers who have worked in the field of entrepreneurship or who have been entrepreneurs before and can provide academic leadership to their students.
While the minor is the only element going into effect this spring, other ideas are also being researched for possible development in the near future. These include an "Entrepreneurs Network, which would "provide linkages [with current entrepreneurs] through the Web and potential meetings for interested parties at Tufts," a New Business Primer geared towards student businesses, a lecture series, and a Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
