School:Susquehanna University
Contents
Overview
Founded in 1858, Susquehanna University is a private liberal arts college located in the town of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. Susquehanna University is dedicated to helping students become proactive leaders through academics, service, and personal assets, which is represented through the University motto “Achieve, Lead, Serve”. Susquehanna is centrally located within a three-hour drive of four major cities – Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. and four hours from Pittsburgh and one-and-a-half hours from the Pocono Mountains.
Susquehanna University believes cross-cultural experiences are essential to a liberal arts education – the University has made it part of the central curriculum. Susquehanna University’s distinctive award-winning cross-cultural program, Global Opportunities (GO), offers students a wide range of off-campus educational programs in both domestic and international locations.
Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
At Susquehanna University, entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities exist for students and experienced professors on and off campus. Students can learn from professors through class lessons and succeed outside of the classroom with personal ventures and research. In addition, the Sigmund Weis School of Business implemented entrepreneurship and innovation as an undergraduate minor. In recent years, Susquehanna has partnered with Columbia University to create a dual degree program in Liberal Arts and Science Education and Engineering. Interested students will be able to obtain two bachelor’s degrees in a short span of five years.
Student Engagement
At Susquehanna, opportunities for student engagement in entrepreneurship and innovation continue to grow each year. The University established an Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor to replace the Business Administration Entrepreneurship emphasis. Faculty and staff members teaching entrepreneurship courses are encouraging students to participate in the program regardless of academic discipline. Hopeful students who wish to create their own organizations or campus publications will quickly learn about the willingness and guidance from the faculty and staff to help students turn their ideas into reality. The University hosted a Pitch Contest in the past and plans to continue the "House of Hawks" Pitch Contest to showcase student creativity. The University Innovation Fellows team wishes to collaborate with the Business School, Susquehanna alumni, and the career development center to continue the Pitch Contest in future years.
What is the Pitch Contest? - The Pitch Contest was organized to “help students gain experience in developing and presenting ideas for innovation”. Susquehanna Alumni served as the judges during the event and shared their own experiences while building connections with current students to establish a basis for a greater network. The event helped inspire ideas and provide valuable feedback on how students can improve their ideas and pitching skills in the future. Students were given two minutes to describe their ideas and convince the judges of their merit, learning how to effectively communicate to sell their products and ideas.
Faculty Innovation and Entrepeneurship
In the past, faculty members at Susquehanna University partnered with companies and organizations such as the Keystone Innovation Zone and the American Physiological Society to involve students in entrepreneurial and innovative opportunities. These opportunities help faculty members receive funding for projects and research to provide students with opportunities and skills to strengthen their innovative and entrepreneurial assets.
In recent years, the Keystone Innovation Zone provided funding to one faculty member in the Sigmund Weis Business School to assist in the development of a website for Fresh Roasted Coffee, a local company in Selinsgrove. In addition, the allotted funding allowed the faculty member to collaborate with two Susquehanna University students on the project. The Keystone Innovation Zone has given students and faculty the privilege of assisting one other local company in the development of a device to scale trees for hunters in the area. Also, faculty in the Biology department at Susquehanna University are working to gain funding from the American Physiological Society and the National Science Foundation to conduct innovative research. The funding will not only assist faculty members in their research but grant students the opportunity to take part in the research alongside their professors.
Additionally, the Center for Teaching and Learning provides grants for faculty members that foster curricular or pedagogical innovations to enhance learning. It hosts lunches and workshops where faculty members can learn about teaching strategies and share innovative ideas, conducts a "talk-while-you-walk" initiative for faculty to walk while they talk about teaching, and joins faculty members with two or three peers to discuss teaching strategies more intimately.
Innovation Allies
Dr. Samya Bano Zain, Associate Professor of Physics, Physics Department Chair
Robert Sieczkiewicz, Assistant Professor, Research Librarian: Instruction and Digital Scholarship
Dr. Emma Fleck, Associate Professor of Management (Entrepreneurship)
Dr. Betsy Verhoeven, Associate Professor of English, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning
Dr. Amir Bahman Radnejad, Assistant Professor of Management (Entrepreneurship)
Ron Cohen, Vice President for University Relations
Becky Deitrick, Assistant VP of Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement
Scott Cox, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Linda McMillan, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Dr. Lori Ellison, Assistant Professor of Management
Dr. Matthew Rousu, Dean of the Sigmund Weis School of Business
Dr. Karen Mura, Associate Professor of English
Technology Transfer Function
The science department at Susquehanna keeps students highly involved in the forefront of the research process from the beginning of their undergraduate studies. Students are regularly invited to partner with faculty for the summer to conduct research in the professors’ area of expertise.
University-Industry Collaboration
Susquehanna University is centrally located in a small but bustling economic center within central Pennsylvania. Academically, the Sigmund Weis School of Business leads the campus in industry collaboration. A variety of business classes push their students beyond the classroom to collaborate with local small businesses and entrepreneurs. Extracurricular organizations such as Enactus and, in the past, the Entrepreneurship Club have acted as bridges connecting SU students with industries both local and abroad. Geisinger Hospital is also an industry collaborator. In addition to the establishment of the Geisinger Medical Center on campus, students have the opportunity to complete internships with Geisinger.
Alongside the University's strong alumni network, students have opportunities to interact and work with professionals regularly throughout their academic career. Formal events, such as “Breakthrough: To Life After Graduation” allow students to discuss topics such as entrepreneurship and research with experienced professional alumni. Moreover, the Career Development Center, Alumni Office, and individual departments actively try to build informal networks between students and alumni for mentoring, internship, and employment opportunities.
Collaborators
- Agricultural Region
- Weis Markets
- Hershey Medical
- Harley Davidson Headquarters
- Empire Kosher
Regional and Local Economic Development
SEDA-Council of Governments is a regional public organization that serves 11 counties in Central Pennsylvania. The organization is overseen by a Board which consists of elected officials and local people. SEDA-Council of Governments focuses on transportation, international sales, information technology, and financial packaging. This organization works on marketing local products for international export.
Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) leads a major effort to aid in the development of small businesses. They offer information and resources to start businesses and help with growth, continuity, and survival once the business has been started. SBDC has many branches including one at nearby Bucknell University. SBDC offers a variety of services aimed at topics such as Government Marketing, International Business, Technology assistance, and Environmental Management.
Landscape Canvas
Fall 2019
Related links
Pitch Video (Fall 2019)
Pitch Video (Fall 2018)
Cohort Change Story Platform (Fall 2017)
https://www.facebook.com/SusquehannaUIF/ UIF Facebook Page
Pitch Video (Fall 2016)
Pitch Video (Spring 2015)
Susquehanna University Student Priorities
University Innovation Fellows
2015 Fellows: Ethan Eastwood, Alexis Gargin, Pierce Logan Perkins, Tiffany Richards
2016 Fellows: Hana Feiner, Aviel Stein,Rachel Tate
2017 Fellows: [Tonia Hall], Alexandra Haller, Damian Munoz, Daniel Yim
2018 Fellows: Leah Cieniawa, Brianna Murphy, Joseph Morante, Kyle Williams
2019 Fellows: Samantha Brumagin, Donovan Gayles, Elizabeth Ludwig, Andrea Repetz
Related links
