Entrepreneurial Scholar Program

Any Bradley University student, regardless of major or academic college, has the unique opportunity to earn the “Entrepreneurial Scholar” designation on their transcript by completing a prescribed set of requirements. Earning this designation shows potential employers that students developed skills in creativity, innovation, and problem solving. Additionally, the entrepreneurial activities provide practical experience to supplement classroom instruction. The program is designed to serve the following types of undergraduate and graduate students:

  • Those who have an interest in entrepreneurship courses and activities, but have no room in their academic schedule for completion of the Minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • “Entrepreneurial explorers” who merely want to sample a few entrepreneurship offerings
  • Those considering pursuit of the entrepreneurship and innovation minor, but are currently undecided
  • Students who want to demonstrate to potential employers knowledge of practical application of entrepreneurial skills
  • Students interested in, or are in the process of starting their own business, and would like to receive recognition for their work

Any student wishing to pursue the Entrepreneurial Scholar designation will need to complete 3 credit hours of course work and earn 20 points for participating in entrepreneurial activities.

How To Sign Up

Students actively engaged with the Turner School are automatically placed in a "Entrepreneurial Scholars" project site at no charge in the online Canvas LMS as a way to track points all the way through their academic career at Bradley. Students can also request to be admitted to this course to keep apprised of weekly entrepreneurial activities.

To sign up for the Entrepreneurial Scholars Program, please contact Dr. Jane Talkington, Associate Director at jatalkington@bradley.edu

Program Requirements

Required Course - 3 hrs.

  • ENT 280: Entrepreneurial Creativity

The 20 experiential activity points may be earned from the list below.

Activities Points Earned Point Limit
Spring's Big Idea Student Venture Business Plan Competition Preliminary Round 2 4
Big Idea Trade Show at Peplow 2 4
Big Idea Student Venture Business Plan Competition Final Round 2 4
Start and operate a new business/social venture for at least 6 months 2 per 6 months 6
Brave Pitch Elevator Pitch Competition 2 4
Approved entrepreneurship or innovation project 2 6
Study Abroad program related to entrepreneurship or innovation 2 4
Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Annual Conference, Founding Females conference in Peoria, or other entrepreneurship conference 2 4
Approved guest speaker events and/or extracurricular activities related to entrepreneurship 1 per day 4
Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Annual Conference, Enactus National Leadership Conference, SEA Conference, or other entrepreneurship conference 1 per day 4
Attend a local entrepreneurship organization meeting at Distillery Labs, The Nest Co-working space, Peoria Next Innovation Center or other approved venue. 1 2
Attend the Turner Center’s “Starting a Business in Illinois” free workshop. 1 1
Social Impact Competition Preliminary Round 2 6
Social Impact Competition Final Round 2 6
Other Turner School approved activities
I.D.E.A. Virtual Pitch Competition 2 4
Innovation for All Living Learning Community 10 10
Innovation Orbit, Friends of the LLC 2 8