Organization:Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization

Overview

Entrepreneurship as a field of study at colleges and universities across the U.S. and around the world. Entrepreneurship has become a leading subject at the undergraduate and graduate level. With this increased attention, it is more important than ever to give students the opportunities to network not only with thei student peers, but with fellow entrepreneurs in the business world to promote entrepreneurship at all levels and in all environments. This is where CEO comes in. 

The 1970s saw the inception, development and growth of a new and exciting field of study in business and higher education – entrepreneurship. During this time, very few universities offered coursework for students. Students interested in becoming entrepreneurs had very few resources, opportunities and outlets to help them reach their entrepreneurial dreams and goals. No national student organization served this interest either.

In 1983, a meeting was held in a restaurant to discuss developing an entrepreneurship organization for students who wanted to one day become an entrepreneur. Dr, Gerry Hills, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), called and facilitated the meeting of 12 Chicago-area university students. John Hughes and Jean Thorne of the Coleman Foundation contributed, along with Verne Harnish, who was working with Dr. Fran Jabara to create the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs (ACE), was in attendance.

From this innovative meeting stemmed the origins of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs of Illinois Conference. The first Collegiate Entrepreneurs of Illinois Conference was hosted by UIC’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies with the faculty and students of DePaul, Loyola, Illinois Institute of Technology and Northwestern University assisting in the planning and implementation of the Conference. The Coleman Foundation generously contributed as the conference sponsor and continues their today. In 1985, the conference’s name was changed to the Collegiate Entrepreneurs of the Midwest Conference.

After the conference’s continuous years of success and growth, Dr. Hills refocused his attention on creating a national/global organization supporting student entrepreneurship, the same objective as in 1983. In 1997, the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) was launched. The first two national conferences were called “Pilot” meetings with more than 700 students representing 100 universities in attendance.

In 1999, the Kaufman Foundation joined the Coleman Foundation as a key supporter of CEO. With Kauffman’s support, CEO was able to hire full-time staff and more and more CEO Chapters began appearing on campuses. In recent years, several other important sponsors have joined with CEO, including Northwestern Mutual. Recent CEO conferences have had nearly 1,400 in attendance.

Today, CEO continues to promote its mission to inform, support and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation.

Purpose

To inform, support and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation.

Values

• Passion leads purpose. Do what you love and the money and success will follow.

• Take action! CEO encourages members to start NOW in taking the steps needed to get to where they want to be.

• Be persistent. We strive for students to believe in themselves and in their dreams and goals, no matter what it takes or how long it takes. Failure should not end the entrepreneurial journey, but should provide an opportunity to learn and move forward.

• Young entrepreneurs can succeed.

• Create opportunities for experiential education. Entrepreneurship is cool, but so is school. School provides opportunities that will help in their entrepreneurial pursuits, including experience and hands-on learning that is just as vital.

• Be accepting of all viewpoints, ideas, and entrepreneurial interests.

• Support and mentor student entrepreneurship in a culture that is ethical, positive, encouraging, and non-self-promotional.

• Who you know is key! We encourage students to build networks and contacts of people that they can help, and that might be able to help them along the way. You are the average of the people you associate yourself with, so we uphold the idea of surrounding yourself with positive, entrepreneurial-minded people.

Distinct Differences From Other Offerings

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization provides an on-campus prescence in the form of a local chapter.

National Conference

• Join nearly 1,400 college students, faculty, and young entrepreneurs from around the world who attend the 2 ½ day CEO National Conference to network, learn, and be inspired.
• Join to pursue your entrepreneurial passions. Over 80 outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders will share their ideas and expertise as to how they launched their businesses.
• Join to hear the lessons other student entrepreneurs have learned, and where they are today.  

Contact ceo@c-e-o.org for more information.

National Elevator Pitch Competition

• Be a part of the largest national elevator pitch competition that presents students with a unique opportunity to pitch their business idea to a panel of judges and a chance to win cash prizes.
• Be a part of hundreds of applicants competing for the first place prize of $3,500.
• Be part of past CEO Elevator Pitch participants that have received exposure and have gone on to gain new customers, partners and investors in their business or idea.

Click here to view the live final pitch round of last year's 2012 National Conference.

2013 CEO Student Entrepreneur of the Year

• Entrepreneur winners will be awarded for the following categories:
  • Student Entrepreneur of the Year
  • Student Start-Up of the Year
  • Disruptive Student Innovator of the Year

Impact Achieved for Students and Campus

Having a CEO chapter on campus provides a University with a way to promote entrepreneurship among students, as well as gain national recognition for entrepreneurial activities on campus. This is especially helpful to schools that may not have dedicated business departments or entrepreneurship courses by providing the university with a way to commercialize student designs. 

Steps Required to Bring Resource to Campus

Contact one of the administrators listed below and they will provide you with a start-up guide.

Contact Information

Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization™
3105 N. Ashland Ave., Suite 228
Chicago, IL 60657

 

General Inquires

Phone: 773-236-2350
Fax: 773-305-2716
ceo@c-e-o.org

 

CEO Staff

Katie Sowa, Director of Operations
KSowa@c-e-o.org

Michael Luchies, National Growth and Programs Manager
MLuchies@c-e-o.org