Last fall, Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business launched the Entrepreneurship Initiative (EI) to support and enhance the resources available to students interested in entrepreneurial ventures. One year later, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Of the MBA students who graduated from Tuck in 2012, about half the class had listed entrepreneurship as one of their main interests upon enrollment, the school reveals, noting that about 55 percent acted on this interest before graduation by enrolling in entrepreneurship courses or undertaking course projects where they worked on an entrepreneurial idea.
About 10 percent of the class chose to take a step further by devoting significant time outside of the classroom to improving and developing their ideas through structured extracurricular activities organized by the new initiative, such as the Summer Venture program.
The initiative has expanded several programs at Tuck, including the Barris Incubator Program, which supports and facilitates the launch and development of Tuck- and Dartmouth-related ventures. The EI also established the Entrepreneur in Residence program.
The program taps into the wealth of Tuck and Dartmouth entrepreneurs by connecting them with current students. Visiting entrepreneurs give a presentation to students, hold office hours and one-on-one meetings, and are available for student consultation beyond their visit to campus, making it easier for students and visitors to connect.
“By taking advantage of the entrepreneurial resources at Tuck, you get the best of both worlds,” says Joaquin Villarreal (Tuck MBA '08), manager of the initiative.
“You get a top-notch business education, which you can apply towards more traditional career choices for MBAs," he adds. "You can also explore the process behind starting a new venture and develop a set of tools to address the distinctive challenges that face both start-ups and established businesses.”
***
If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.
