E-Scholars Program

Entrepreneurship is not a business school discipline. It is a way of thinking that occurs across campus at every university. But while most schools do not offer university-wide entrepreneurship education, the Entrepreneur Scholars Program at St. Mary's University does.

The E-scholars Program is a yearlong certificate program that includes academic and extra-curricular activities for students from all disciplines and majors. The program is housed in the Meadows Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, located in the Bill Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s University. The program consists of a carefully selected blend of traditional classroom learning with opportunities outside of the classroom that enhance entrepreneurial education and experiences. The E-scholars program overcomes five common barriers to learning: isolation, time, limited expertise, rapid globalization, and cost. This is achieved by securing sponsorships from individuals and businesses in the community.

Entrepreneur Scholars will attend classes designed specifically for them, go on domestic and international business trips, receive one-on-one advice and assistance from business mentors while developing and implementing their entrepreneurial ideas, and have the opportunity to network with successful entrepreneurs and executives from the business community.

Students from all disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Participants are selected through an application and interview process in which they are evaluated on attributes such as interest in the program, motivation to learn, entrepreneurial propensity, academic performance, and career goals. The application process occurs in the spring semester of each academic year and those accepted matriculate through the program the following academic year. Entrepreneur Scholar Program participants are required to provide sponsors with periodic progress reports on their program activities and accomplishments.

Meet the Team

A four-member team comprised of faculty and staff from across the university operates the program. The team includes:

• Brooke Envick, Ph.D., Director of the Meadows Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Associate Professor of Management. Dr. Envick directs the Entrepreneur Scholars Program and teaches one of the courses.
• Jeffrey Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of International Business and Director of the Center for Global Business Studies. Dr. Johnson is the Faculty Representative from the Bill Greehey School of Business. He teaches one of the courses and helps to advise and monitor the progress of the students from his school.
• Rafael Moras, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Engineering. Dr. Moras is the Faculty Representative from the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology. He helps to advise and monitor the progress of the students from his school.
• Pete Hansen, Director of Alumni Relations. Hansen will foster and maintain sponsor relations.