3 students presenting in a business class

Cornerstone 2: Business and Entrepreneurship

We Will Lead

In a time of dizzying technological growth, fluctuating economies and constant flux in domestic and international politics bring unforeseen challenges to business daily. From individuals to multinational corporations, an agile entrepreneurial mindset is crucial to meeting rapid change.

Miami University is built on entrepreneurial thinking, and with an entire department devoted to it, as well as the development of entrepreneurship enterprises such as the College@Elm and the Center for Social Entrepreneurship, it’s clear that we value it highly. Driving all of this is a transdisciplinary mindset that draws connections across fields and breaks down barriers between them, creating graduates who build effective teams, lead profitable businesses, and make ethical decisions.

Uncertainty and inflexibility in such tumultuous times as these can be the death knell for businesses—we’ve all observed it over the past two decades.

By equipping our students with the tools and tactics to think entrepreneurially no matter their job title, cultivate collaboration, and not only follow change but anticipate it, Miami University will empower scholars to change the face of business, economies, and society.
We have the responsibility and material technology to transform the future of the apparel industry." – Rithvik Venna ’15, Zoology major and COO of OROS, who co-founded the unique outdoor apparel company with Miami classmate and friend Michael Markesbery ’15, another Zoology major who is CEO of OROS.

Cornerstone News

How will we equip our students with the tools and tactics to think entrepreneurially?

As our Center for Social Entrepreneurship celebrates its 15th anniversary, we launch a rejuvenating period of growth. This is where we train future leaders to address poverty, upskilling, educational and nutritional issues, and much more. We’ll invest in this award-winning center by building scale, expanding, adding faculty, and deepening our relationships with initiatives such as the Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship.
We will develop innovative and entrepreneurial thinking outside the school of business with collaborative programs such as the Entrepreneurial Thinking in the Liberal Arts Initiative. This initiative will adopt cross-disciplinary mentorship and training that integrates courses in entrepreneurship into the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. In addition, the College of Creative Arts seeks to expand its Entrepreneurial Fashion Business and Arts Management programs, and the College of Education, Health, and Society is creating the Changemakers Institute for education majors to integrate entrepreneurialism, creativity, and resilience into the student experience.

While we enjoy a reputation for educating the business leaders of tomorrow, we also recognize the urgent pace of change in today’s business world and international economies. The Farmer School of Business will invest in new centers for such fields as real estate and financial technology, as well as expand and track workplace competencies. This will give us an edge. Naming opportunities include professorships, scholarships, departments, and centers.
This public-private partnership will transform a 39,000-square-foot university facility (located on Elm Street in Oxford) into a vibrant hub for advancing innovation, cultivating talent, accelerating entrepreneurs, and inspiring the inventors of the future—our students.
A model for revitalizing rural communities and town squares, the College@Elm will be an incubator of ideas and a catalyst for regional economic development.