The University of Texas at El Paso
Executive Summary – Kauffman Campuses Proposal
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) seeks the support of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to launch a campus-wide entrepreneurship program. We propose to initiate an integrative, experiential program that will provide access to entrepreneurship education for students in all six of the University’s colleges. UTEP requests a grant to achieve the objectives of the Initiative as well as matching funds from the institution and our partner organizations.
Our plan for achieving campus-wide access to entrepreneurship education encompasses, but is not limited to, the following:
- Multiple sections of entrepreneurship-focused classes for entering students (UNIV 1301). An alternative entering student course with an emphasis on technology entrepreneurship, UNIV 2350, will also be offered. The latter course is most frequently chosen by transfer students and by engineering majors.
- An entrepreneurship option/minor or certificate program for students in all six colleges of the University.
- Required experiential projects for students in entrepreneurship courses.
- Student participation in community-based entrepreneurship development activities in collaboration with other organizations.
- Student involvement in entrepreneurship research studies, particularly in preparing case studies of minority-owned, urban-based businesses.
The development of courses that encourage team projects drawing on students from all disciplines offered at UTEP addressing such subjects as technology entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship in the arts, health sciences, and schools, and other topics.
The UTEP Initiative will result in the creation of two major campus-wide programs: the Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship and the Urban Student Entrepreneur Corps. We envision both being models for other universities in the United States.
The University is committing to the permanent institutionalization of entrepreneurship education in three major ways:
- Designating faculty participants in all colleges.
- Assigning faculty and staff to CEDARS with Kauffman Initiative responsibilities.
- Renovating office space for CEDARS.
