Elmhurst U. Launches Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate Program

December 23, 2020 | by the Office of Marketing and Communications

Elmhurst University has launched a new graduate certificate program in innovation and entrepreneurship that can help students jump-start a startup, bring new ventures to existing organizations, and better leverage ideas in today’s dynamic economy.

The Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) program is designed for students interested in entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship (innovation within an existing organization). Currently accepting students for the fall of 2021, the part-time certificate program can be completed on campus or online in one year. 

“Innovation and entrepreneurship are what make the U.S. a global leader in commerce, and we can’t afford to lose that edge,” said Bruce Fischer, professor of business and economics and director of Elmhurst’s CIE program. “Programs like ours will help us sustain that edge by equipping our students to transform ideas into reality.”

More information about the Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship will be available at Elmhurst University’s Virtual Graduate Programs Open House on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. The Open House will provide an overview of all of Elmhurst’s part-time graduate programs, and opportunities to connect with faculty and current graduate students. For more information and to register, visit elmhurst.edu/ChooseElmhurst.

A highlight of the new program is Elmhurst’s academic partnership with Innovation DuPage, a business incubator serving the DuPage County region that unites startup founders and small-business owners with the people and resources to help them grow. As an academic partner, Innovation DuPage will provide Elmhurst students with access to Innovation DuPage facilities, services and mentors.

“We are excited to partner with Elmhurst University to help mold the next generation of entrepreneurs,” said Travis Linderman, managing director of Innovation DuPage. “Whether these students decide to launch new companies or drive internal transformation, they will contribute meaningfully to growth in their communities. The resources available at Innovation DuPage can amplify that growth and further drive the region’s economic prosperity.

“Innovation cannot be successful in a vacuum – our communities thrive through collaboration,” Linderman said. “Innovation DuPage is honored to be a part of the ecosystem of this elite university and we look forward to the opportunities that this unique partnership will create.”

Elmhurst University also offers students an array of entrepreneurship support services through the E-celerator, the University’s entrepreneurship resource center, including:

  • Guidance, coaching and mentoring from an Entrepreneur in Residence
  • The “Bluejay Tank” pitch competition
  • Speaker series and other events
  • Networking and ideating with other entrepreneurs
  • A student-run entrepreneurship club

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