April 18, 2014

A new partnership between the Corzo Center for the Creative Economy at the University of the Arts and Drexel’s Westphal College and Drexel’s Close School of Entrepreneurship, provides students and alumni with the opportunity to test and develop ideas for products and businesses begun during school. Funded  in part by the Knight Foundation, this new program supports students interested in launching creative businesses or social enterprises through a six-week immersive program to be held at the URBN Center, beginning July 7 and ending August 15. Participation in the Entrepreneurship Summer Program is competitive and open to graduating seniors, graduate students, or recent alumni.

Six participants will be selected from Westphal College and Close School and six will be chosen from the University of the Arts. If you’re interested in applying to the program, there will be an Orientation Session on Thursday, May 1 from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm in URBN room 440 (3501 Market St.). Please email Lisa Visco at lmv47@drexel.edu to RSVP for the orientation session, which you must attend if you want to avail yourself of this terrific opportunity.

Those admitted to the program will receive stipends of $3,000, a workspace on campus, and access to advisers who are experienced entrepreneurs and experts in business strategy, grant writing, law, marketing, accounting, press relations, social media, and web design. The program begins with an intensive 12-hour boot camp introducing the principles of entrepreneurship, business planning, marketing and budgeting.  In addition, there will be weekly lectures and workshops on such topics as technical strategies, business formation, accounting, branding, press relations, web design, and presentation skills.

At the end of the program, participants will present their plans to potential clients, institutional leaders, and investors. The project deemed likely to have the most potential for growth or development will be eligible for a grant of $15,000.  Please email corzocenter@uarts.edu with any and all questions, and further details of the program will be announced in future editions of this newsletter.