Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
The Skandalaris Center offers courses and co-curricular programs supporting entrepreneurship at Washington University and in the community. Students not only learn about entrepreneurship, they can also become entrepreneurs. The four-step Skandalaris Approach takes students from perspective courses, which expand understanding of self and the role of entrepreneurship in the world, to action and outcome courses, which increase student self-efficacy and maturity by having teams accomplish meaningful results on applied projects, often working with community entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurial Scholars Program
Incoming first-year undergraduate students who apply to any undergraduate division at Washington University may apply for the Entrepreneurial Scholars Program, which awards $3,000 scholarships for up to eight students. These four-year scholarships are designed for students with entrepreneurial spirit and vision. Scholars have a variety of opportunities to explore entrepreneurship and community building through activities both on campus and in the St. Louis community. The Entrepreneurial Scholars Program seeks students who are innovative, creative, energetic, and eager to make a difference in their communities. Please click here for more information and application instructions.

Student-Run Businesses on Campus
The Washington University Student Entrepreneurial Program (StEP) provides a unique opportunity for students to own and operate a business on campus. Student owners can not only learn valuable business and entrepreneurial skills in the classroom but also learn and gain valuable experiences as they manage and lead their own businesses.

Student-owned businesses include:

• Bears’ Bikes
• Bear Discounts
• Off the Row
• Salon Four Zero
• SWAP (Sharing With A Purpose)
• UShuttle
• UTrucking/ResFridge
• Wash-U-Wash
• Wydown Water

IdeaBounce®
IdeaBounce is both a website and a series of events. The website connects creators, inventors, practitioners, business people, artists, and other innovators who have an idea. “IdeaBouncers” post a description of their idea on the website. Visitors to the site may browse ideas, contact IdeaBouncers, and forward ideas to others who may be interested. IdeaBounce events allow innovators to connect with the resources they need to move their ideas forward. These are fast-paced, energetic sessions where 80-100 people gather to provide feedback and support to “bouncers.”

IDEA Pre-Orientation Program
IDEA, or Innovation-Discovery-Experience-Action, is a pre-orientation program for incoming freshmen. The three-day program introduces students to entrepreneurship options at Washington University. Students work in teams to develop ideas, learn from social and commercial entrepreneurs, participate in a “Race to Entrepreneurship” scavenger hunt, go on a field trip to an entrepreneurial venture, tour the student-owned businesses on campus, and participate in a service activity.

YouthBridge Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition
The YouthBridge Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition is made possible through Washington University’s partnership with the YouthBridge Community Foundation. The competition awards grants to both local and international nonprofit organizations. Each year, at least $5,000 is awarded to the best team founded or supported by WU students. The YouthBridge Workshop Series complements the competition and assists participants in their sustainability efforts.

Innovation Acceleration Partnership
The Innovation Acceleration Partnership fellowship program is funded by the National Science Foundation. The grant funds commercialization-focused fellows to support labs at Washington University. The fellows work with researchers to identify promising ideas and opportunities, work with investors, and learn about legal issues. This is a unique program for researchers who want to experience all aspects of commercialization within an academic/industry partnership environment, and frees scientists to concentrate on their research.

Olin Cup Competition
The Olin Cup Competition promotes learning and collaboration leading to the creation of new business ventures. Winners of the competition receive seed funding to help establish a business. The competition also awards a cash prize to the winning student team.

Skandalaris Center Internship Program
In the Skandalaris Center Internship Program, students live in communal space on campus, and work in entrepreneurial organizations. Activities include a weekly lunch and discussion followed by a reception. Past discussion topics have included: Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Educational Entrepreneurship, IT Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Retail Entrepreneurship, Support Systems for Entrepreneurs, Securing Venture Capital, and Environmental Entrepreneurship. Interns gain perspective on different area of entrepreneurship, develop and understand their comfort level and skills, and experience entrepreneurship in action.