A joint effort between the College of Engineering, the College of Law and the Price College of Business will bring the new Entrepreneurship Center to life next semester. Students from all majors will have a chance to learn the tricks of the trade from entrepreneurs-turned-professors, said Jim Wheeler, director of the center.
"Basically, the majority of the teachers are entrepreneurs themselves," said Wheeler. "That's the beauty of the program, they can almost take a 'been there, done that' approach."
These professors will combine to teach seven classes within the program, such as a marketing class for new product development and another on financing the entrepreneurial venture.
"We had someone come talk to us in my business class today about the program," said Diana Hessler, marketing junior. "I'm going to try to take a few of the classes."
A lot of other students have shown interest as well, Hessler said.
One of the classes contained in the program has two sections being taught already this semester. John Penton, successful entrepreneur and businessman, teaches this fast-paced class based on thinking and breaking down situations, rather than on lecture, memorization or regurgitation of information, Wheeler said.
"I didn't know if it was going to work," said Wheeler, referring to using entrepreneurs and businessmen as professors for the courses. "But as it turns out, it works out great."
Plans for the Entrepreneurship Center have been under way for about a year and half, he said.
"In about 18 months, we have gone from having nothing to offering seven classes in entrepreneurship next semester," Wheeler said.
Wheeler, an entrepreneur and businessman himself, was approached by many people to help get the program started, including OU President David L. Boren.
Because the nature of this program is cooperation between different colleges within OU, Wheeler says it is one of the few that Boren endorses as a universitywide program.
"President Boren had a real vision on what OU could do to unite economic growth," Wheeler said.
Besides Boren's dedication, Wheeler says the program has come together because of a number of things all going right at the same time.
"It wasn't just one of two or three things," he said. "It was having the right deans in place, it was the right time within the college, the visions of Price and Boren were there, and the state of Oklahoma recognized the need to grow from within."
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