The wide scope of programs promoting entrepreneurship at UNC — responsible for supporting students in successful ventures like the Helping Hand Project and Phyta — have garnered notoriety on a national scale.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UNC as the fourth best school in the country for entrepreneurship, which is the highest ranking UNC received in all categories from the organization.
“I think this latest ranking is really just reflecting the thoughtful, strategic way we’ve approached this and recognizing the quality of the way we’re going about providing curricular and cocurricular education to students in entrepreneurship,” said Judith Cone, vice chancellor for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.
Cone said an increase in marketing has helped spread the word about the programs and get them recognized on a national scale. She also said the widespread encouragement of entrepreneurship across campus is what sets UNC’s programs apart from those of other schools.
“We’re one of the few schools that has really looked at every school, every department, all the centers, every part of life at campus to say, ‘How can everyone get involved in transforming ideas into meaningful value in society?’” Cone said.
A benefit of these entrepreneurial programs for students is that employers like applicants who are exposed to this kind of study, as it creates more confident individuals that have had experience in making a difference, Cone said. She said tenacity is a big part of successful entrepreneurship, and many students leave the program better prepared for the workforce.
“There’s a phrase in the entrepreneurial world that says, ‘I didn’t fail, I learned,’” Cone said. “That skill set of hanging in there and morphing ideas and being in tune to still figure out eventually what is going to work is pretty amazing, and we’re so proud of all of the students that actually continue on and move those ideas forward.”
One notable example of entrepreneurship on campus is the Shuford Program, which allows students across all majors to earn a minor in entrepreneurship. Bernard Bell, executive director of the Shuford Program, said enrollment has gone from 270 students to 600 students in the past two years.
The program includes courses on economics and the theory of entrepreneurship and requires students to participate in an internship. Bell said the program’s aim is not necessarily to teach students how to start a business, but rather to get them into a “entrepreneurial mindset” that gives them a leg-up over others.
