The Untapped Potential of Unlikely Entrepreneurs
November 16, 2021
This post was originally published by the Independence Daily Reporter in the November 10th, 2021 issue. Read the text online here, the article is on page 3. What does the future hold for those who do not do well in school? Each year more than a million high school students drop out of high school. That’s nearly 7,000 per day. And in many cases, they do so not because they are incapable but because they…
Read moreThis Trailblazing Program Shaped the Ice House Middle School Edition
September 21, 2021
There’s growing evidence about the teaching strategies and learning approaches that work best for middle schoolers. Researchers highlight early adolescence as a time of collaboration, curiosity, and choice. The plasticity of the teenage brain makes middle school a prime opportunity for instilling an entrepreneurial mindset. And social studies teacher Dave Cross at Strong Vincent Middle School in Erie, Pennsylvania, knows a thing or two about that. Innovating in Erie’s Public Schools In 2017, Cross and…
Read moreWalking Across the Bridge to High School with an Entrepreneurial Mindset
August 18, 2021
At Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio, students’ transition to high school is marked by a unique ceremony: They walk across the bridge between the two buildings to symbolize their advancement from one learning environment to the next. The district of 1,800 students started implementing entrepreneurship courses at the high school level six years ago. A group of teachers and administrators soon realized that younger students could benefit from a similar program. “We talked…
Read moreShaping Schools’ Futures Through an Entrepreneurial Mindset
August 13, 2021
Dr. Jacob Pittroff teaches at two historic schools in eastern Missouri, both of which face similar recruitment challenges—and both of which have an entrepreneurial mindset that starts at the top. Christian Brothers College High School (CBC), founded in 1850, is an all-male, Catholic college preparatory high school with more than 800 students. A few miles to the north lies the main campus of Lindenwood University, founded in 1827. Lindenwood has nearly 7,400 undergraduate and…
Read moreSummertime Lessons in Early Entrepreneurship
June 23, 2021
Driving through residential streets at the height of summer, you’ll often see the hallmarks of youth entrepreneurship. These could be a lemonade stand, a lawn mowing crew, a babysitter at a playground. For tweens and teens looking to earn extra money over the summer, these classic pursuits may not seem like anything special. But all it takes is a little reframing for them to start to realize that they’re engaged in the form of…
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Launching Tarrant County College Students on a Path Toward Entrepreneurship
June 4, 2021
Lourdes Ramboa is the Faculty and Chair for the Business and Entrepreneurship Programs at Tarrant County College, with 60,000 students at campuses across the Fort Worth area in Texas. With nearly 250 students this year, the college’s Entrepreneurship Program is one of the largest of its kind in the United States—and Ramboa is justifiably proud of its success. But if she could slip away from the “Business” connection, she would do it in a…
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A New Way for Young Adults to Gain Real-World Entrepreneurial Experiences
April 17, 2021
Summer learning slide—the academic regression students experience during the months long break from school—has long been a concern for parents and educators. For instance, the average student loses a month of learning in a typical year, and pandemic-related disruptions have heightened that loss. And, increased social responsibilities, summer jobs, and questions about their future make the Summer learning slide all the more real for young adults. Summer school is an option for some. However, some…
Read moreAn Entrepreneurial Mindset Blossoms Among Cleveland-Area Students
April 15, 2021
When homeowners look for outdoor improvements in Gates Mills, Ohio, they might choose Cutting Edge Landscaping, a company run by student entrepreneurs. A vendor looking for a product video or an athlete who needs a recruiting film might turn to Dunlevy Productions, a company founded by another high schooler. Or a nonprofit like the Cleveland Food Bank or Special Olympics might receive a monetary donation from a student donating proceeds from their business.…
Read moreGary Schoeniger’s Commencement Address, Pierpont Community & Technical College, 2019
May 31, 2019
How Underdogs Win How do underdogs win? This is a question I’ve been pursuing for more than 25 years. How do those who have no particular advantage in life—those who may not be particularly brilliant or creative, those who may not come from privileged backgrounds, those who may not have advanced degrees—manage to rise above their circumstances to create meaningful and prosperous lives? My thought was that if I could somehow understand what makes…
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