Changes

The entrepreneurship minor is designed to introduce students from any discipline to the knowledge, skills and mindset necessary for successful new venture creation. The minor isopen to students in any major except management, which offers a track in innovation and entrepreneurship. Students who successfully complete the entrepreneurship minor will develop the knowledge base and skills needed for new venture creation and management. They will be able to: Understand entrepreneurship as a possible career path, its role in economic growth and opportunity, and its associated social benefits; recognize/identify entrepreneurial opportunities that fit the individual student includes self-analysis in the context of possible entrepreneurial activities and demonstration of the ability to identify and analyze the attractiveness of potential markets. Develop a business model and create a business plan. This includes completing a clear and concise written plan that serves as a blueprint for creation of the proposed venture. Apply relevant financial and business principles to assess the need for start-up capital, conduct break even analysis, and identify cash flow needed for future growth. Identify and evaluate various sources of funding. Articulate an effective pitch to gain support from investors, suppliers, customers, or potential employees. Interact and collaborate with various stakeholders to develop and evaluate ideas, and grow those ideas to fruition.

*4-VA is a collaborative partnership between four Virginia universities. Its mission is to promote inter-university collaborations that leverage the strengths of each partner university in order to accomplish much more than any individual university could achieve alone. A large focus of 4-VA is in training professors and other faculty to implement innovative instructional technologies into their courses.  Additionally, 4-VA encourages and funds multiple interdisciplinary courses that deal with innovation in the medical and engineering fields.

*The Dean's Advisory Council is a select community of CISE students that meet with the dean once per semester to discuss issues about the college. These issues include faculty changes in methods to a more student friendly and innovative approach. Along with upcoming plans for new groups, clubs, organizations, and classes within the college.

*The mission of CIT is to lead, support and advocate for the meaningful integration of appropriate technologies into the academic experience. Its goalsare to; the faculty and the administration of emerging technologies and related issues, develop the instructional faculty's skills in the mechanics and pedagogically-sound methods of using technology in instruction, provide resources, people, equipment, money and space to help faculty create and integrate digital content into their course materials and scholarly work, engage in research and development to create new instructional technologies, and manage and support or coordinate the management and support of instructional technology delivery systems.

*The JMU Society of Entrepreneurs brings James Madison University entrepreneurially minded students together. In the organization, we educate each other and the JMU community on topics of interest, support each other with new ventures and reach out to entrepreneurs in the community to help them and learn from them. The society also hosts speakers and events to educate the JMU community about different topics based around entrepreneurship.

*JMI is the non-profit organization that is affiliated with JMU Technology Innovation to commercialize technologies. Together, the JMI Startup Fund, a philanthropic effort to move prototypes forward and launch companies, and the Innovation Network of professionals provide dollars and managerial expertise to prove products and markets.

*The Center for Entrepreneurship is used to promote, foster, and perpetuate the American entrepreneurial tradition for undergraduates at JMU and to strengthen both Virginia's and national economies by encouraging entrepreneurship, innovation, and the creation of new enterprises.