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 <span style="font-size: 12px; ">When starting an organization there are things that will not work. Things will fail or results may not come quickly. When forming an interdisciplinary organization this is particularly true. Interests may clash and concepts may initially be blurry between different people but the key is to change and remember that great things start small. It takes time to become a big organization. A small group of really passionate people will produce great results if they truly believe in the goal. The group will start as a small circle, then a small organization. The members become the best resource to infect other organizations. Disciplines will communicate and students will bridge the gaps. The members will become ambassadors for the organization. Allowing students to showcase what they love and develop new interests will create positive feedback that will spread by word of mouth and by social media. Student to student interaction is the best way to bring artists and engineers together. </span>
=== Elliot Roth ===
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= One Organization Can’t Do Everything =
== Where to Start ==
Currently campuses may have an environment that is segmented by schools, majors or interests. Students have many opportunities to mingle among their own disciplines but may not have the resources to collaborate with students in other schools and majors. There might possibly be programs in place that may feel limited or confining by trying to force a general idea of entrepreneurship that may not appeal to every interested person. Because entrepreneurship brings together all different sorts of people, one organization may not be the best course of action. Elliot Roth saw the need for this diversification at VCU and decided that segmenting the consolidated VCUSquared program into multiple clubs while maintaining communication, sponsorship and centering on an entrepreneurship council created more interest among students. It also allowed for students to explore the fields they were most interested in while still collaborating on events, activities and projects.
StartUp VCU is the club for entrepreneurially minded students at the university. Made up of thinkers, dreamers, and makers from all academic disciplines and walks of life, the club is a network of students interested in bringing innovative business opportunities to life! At Startup VCU, officers and members foster creativity and encourage taking chances, while alumni advisors are on deck to connect and consult with project teams. The founders of Startup VCU understood that the process of starting a business is never easy, which is exactly why they created a fail safe environment to test ideas and vet new concepts. From the undergraduate level through (and beyond) graduation, Startup VCU members are prepped for and grounded in the ever-changing world of entrepreneurship and innovation.
== = ArtUp – VCU Creative Entrepreneurship ===
Our goal is to unite students from all departments within VCUarts that are interested in translating their skills and passions into creative entrepreneurship. Through collaboration on small and university-wide projects, ArtUp plans to bring artists together in giving back to the Richmond community while establishing a networking foundation profitable for their careers and learning to better sustain their own work. This will be done through industry specific field trips, guest speakers or hosting workshops alongside a specific collaborative project that the group chooses to work on. ArtUp will focus on taking change as an opportunity for innovation in order to aid students in preparing for a successful future in the arts.
=== Social Entrepreneurship ===
A new aspect of entrepreneurship to consider is that of social entrepreneurship, for those interested in helping people. An organization to bring in students that are interested in the sociological ramifications of entrepreneurship are drawn to this type of work. They will form their own club while still collaborating with the other groups at VCU.
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== Separate but Connected ==
Elliot Roth states, “Entrepreneurship is a varied subject and each student has their own wants and needs. You cannot appeal to everyone with a broad “entrepreneurship” club. Students will soon lose interest if the subject matter is not related to their own interests. There are four very broad categories of businesses (Health, Motion, Perception, Communication) and two types (Products, Services). We are only just beginning to form groups centered on these categories.” By segmenting the group by interests you are taking a large group of people with minimal interest and creating smaller passionate groups of people with real belief in the goals they are trying to accomplish. It is still very important to keep the passions connected and working together however, as this is the whole point of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Quality over quantity is the biggest key to remember when it comes to events and activities. Students are drawn to activities that yield end results and give them something to take away. Whether this means producing something in an activity or by receiving an award in a competition, it all becomes a huge draw for students. With artists and engineers there is a big attraction in the ability to create. Activities that promote the ideals of development and entrepreneurship include Innovation Challenges, Build Weekends, and other competitions. Large scale art projects such as InLIght Richmond allow engineers and artists to collaborate on something beautiful and innovative while producing a stunning result for any portfolio.
=== Things to consider when planning activities ===
1. Students are very interested in things that are relevant to their interests as well as things that they have heard of. Communicate with those that are interested. The most popular activity ideas will come from those most likely to participate.
5. Never underestimate the power of free food on a college campus. An incentive like free food is a way to draw an audience that may not have been considered initially.
== Lessons learned and tips for others <br/> ==
Elliot is currently a junior in biomedical engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University. He helped plan a local TedX for his university and enjoys writing and art. He believes in the importance of bringing artists and engineers together for successful entrepreneurship.
