Creating a culture of innovation is a primary focus at Furman University. In fact, they have an entire institute dedicated to it. Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship serves both students (regardless of major or discipline) and the broader Greenville community in learning leadership skills and fostering entrepreneurship + innovation.
Through signature events, mentoring, competitions, and workshops, the institute helps emerging entrepreneurs launch new, innovative ideas – from inception to creation – and brings together leaders to create meaningful partnerships + community contributions.
One example of innovation in action? When the COVID-19 crisis began, the university pivoted to host Leading in Times of Crisis, a free, virtual workshop for corporate, entrepreneurial + nonprofit leaders who are seeking additional tools to lead their organizations in this time of uncertainty. Each 45-minute workshop is interactive, and the series finale (Thurs., May 14 at noon) will focus on Honing Your Brave. Register + access past workshops here.
5 more ways Furman University is leading with innovation:
- Summer Business Entrepreneurship Bootcamp: From June 8-26, 2020, students + recent grads will learn (virtually) about what it takes to master the foundations of business and fundamentals of entrepreneurship with help from leaders in the fields of marketing, finance + communications, thanks to Furman’s partnerships with the City of Greenville and NEXT member companies. The 2020 bootcamp will cover these special topics: Career Planning, Excel Modeling + Presentation Skills. The 3-week bootcamp costs $3,000. See the full schedule and apply here.
- VentureSouth: Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship works with VentureSouth, one of the largest angel investment groups in the U.S., to provide access to funding and student internships.
- Village Launch: Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship helps Village Launch develop programming and internship opportunities for students in underserved communities in Greenville.
- Women’s Leadership Institute: The Women’s Leadership Institute of Furman University provides educational advancement for Upstate women through a research-based curriculum and shared learning experiences with other thought leaders. Learn about the 2020 Conference Series lineup.
- Class E Podcast: Through a partnership between Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Communication Studies Department, this podcast explores entrepreneurship in and out of the classroom. Special guests talk about successes and failures in both small and large businesses, and the lessons they learned along the way. Listen here. 🎧 Ⓟ
