Entrepreneurship Education for Every Career Journey

From the corner store to the HVAC company or hot brunch spot, Ivy Tech’s School of Entrepreneurship is helping Hoosiers achieve their dreams and creating small business owners across our state. 

As one of the newer offerings at Ivy Tech, the school has welcomed more than 1,100 enrollments and awarded more than 1,300 credentials since 2021. The school has helped students launch or expand more than 300 businesses right here in Indiana. 

“Idea to launch in two semesters,” says Sueann Graham, entrepreneur and assistant professor of entrepreneurship and department chair on the Bloomington campus. “That’s our motto and goal for students in the entrepreneurship certificate program. It’s focused on giving a student the individualized attention they need at whatever stage their business may be.” 

Faculty in the School of Entrepreneurship are all current or former business owners who can provide credibility to the coursework. The curriculum is structured to allow early stage or future entrepreneurs to get the basic skills they need in a very practical way.  

Allison Boehle, a current associate degree student in Ivy Tech’s School of Entrepreneurship and Lafayette-based entrepreneur, says that the certificate program she completed helped her hone her business leadership skills as a salon owner.  

“Ivy Tech’s program was a great fit for me. I was able to hone my skills, but while still being close to home and continuing my work as a salon owner. I learned valuable skills to help make my business better and to pursue more entrepreneurship, while also making new connections within the community to build my network.”  

The courses begin with helping business owners or hopefuls articulate their “why,” as well as their values and conducting the necessary market research to make sure they are going to meet a need in a place that can use it. From there, students learn about marketing and creating or fine-tuning a business plan that will help them secure any start-up costs they have. The later coursework is about finance and legal needs to help ensure they are prepared for what their business needs.  

For the certificate program, the culminating experience is typically a pitch presentation, business showcase, networking event or pitch competition.  In Sellersburg where they don’t currently offer the certificate or associate degree path, the campus instead created a “Launch & Scale” program which is a shorter initiative allowing current and potential entrepreneurs an opportunity to get the guidance they need to help them take the next step with their business. 

 The state Workforce Ready Grant funds credentials, and students receive $750 in pre-seed funding to get their idea off the ground.  

“The word entrepreneurship can feel lofty and intimidating,” says Mark Lowe, entrepreneur and assistant professor of entrepreneurship and program chair on the Lafayette campus. “I want students to know that the word means small business creator, and we are helping Hoosiers who have an idea make it into a reality for their community.” 

For Simone Cabral Vilaca, Ivy Tech Garatoni School of Entrepreneurship Certificate Alumni and Bloomington-based entrepreneur, the program offered her a way to pursue her dream of opening a small business as an immigrant from Brazil. She knew she had creative skills, but she wasn’t sure how she could build a business around that.  

“Ivy Tech’s program and support allowed me to see that jewelry-making from upcycled materials was a great marriage of my skills and past background in environmental work,” says Simone. “Only with the guidance and business development I gained from Ivy Tech was I prepared to launch.” 

That intimidation piece is one reason the school is also working to expand access to Hoosier high school students before they even graduate. By working with 64 high schools to bring entrepreneurship courses to 577 students, the school is helping reach dreamers while they are still determining what their future looks like.  

The Garatoni School of Entrepreneurship and programs are supported through the partnership with the Garatoni-Smith Family Foundation, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), and the State of Indiana Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.