Rowan University is dedicated to fostering an entrepreneurial mindset across disciplines, equipping students with both expertise in their fields and entrepreneurial skills. This commitment is evidenced by significant investments such as the Rowan Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (RCIE) launched in 2017, the School of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SIE) in 2022, and expansion of the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund (RIVF) from $5 million in 2014 to $25 million in 2022. SIE houses the RCIE and Rowan’s academic entrepreneurship programs, ranked #1 in New Jersey for 2024 and consistently in the Top 50 nationwide (Princeton Review). RCIE has received multiple accolades, including AACSB’s Innovation that Inspires (2019, 2022, 2024), ICSB’s Entrepreneurship Center Global Impact Award (2021), and ICSB’s Global Award for Entrepreneurship Education Excellence (2019). RCIE supports students across Rowan’s colleges with experiential learning opportunities. It organizes over 100 annual events, such as speaker series, startup showcases, competitions, an accelerator program, and multiple seed funding initiatives. RCIE workshops are integrated into SIE’s curriculum, introducing entrepreneurship to a broader, interdisciplinary student audience. RCIE includes two student-led learning labs, Studio 231 and Creatives 230, known for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and peer-to-peer learning. RCIE’s ecosystem also features the CEO Club, University Innovation Fellows (UIF), and the Startup Opportunity Fund for first-generation and underrepresented entrepreneurs. Additionally, RCIE supports the wider region through Accelerate South Jersey, aiding entrepreneurs facing economic challenges, and the Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy, which offers underprivileged high school students the chance to earn free college credits while learning entrepreneurial skills.
3rd PLACE
Americas Most Impactful Initiative of the Year Award
Rowan University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
3rd PLACE Americas Most Impactful Initiative of the Year Award
Rowan University - United States
"Championing the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and change-makers."
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Summary
Key People
Dr. Ali Houshmand
President
Rowan University
Dr. Tony Lowman
Provost; Former Dean
Rowan University; Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering,
Rowan University
Dr. Susan Lehrman
Former Dean
William G. Rohrer College of Business,
Rowan University
Dr. Eric Liguori
Former Executive Director; Founding Head of the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Rowan Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship,
Rowan University (2017-2024); Florida State University (2024-present)
Jessica Vattima
Assistant Director
Rowan Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship,
Rowan University
Ernest Holtzheimer
Managing Director
Rowan Innovation Venture Fund,
Rowan University
Dr. Cheryl Bodnar
Associate Professor
Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering,
Rowan University
Dr. Michael Dominik
Sr. Lecturer of Entrepreneurship, Accelerate South Jersey Coordinator
School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship,
Rowan University
Gregory Payton
Lecturer of Entrepreneurship, Startup Opportunity Fund Coordinator
School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship,
Rowan University
Jennifer Drumgoole
Assistant Professor of Photography, Creatives 230 Faculty Advisor
Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts; School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship,
Rowan University
Andrew Bunoza
Programs & Events Coordinator
Rowan Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship,
Rowan University
Images
University and RCIE leadership team at the 2024 New Venture Expo
Rowan students attend global pitch competition
Students attending RCIE's "Innovation Express" workshop
Participants of RCIE's Accelerate South Jersey program with program facilitator, Dr. Michael Dominik
Winners of the 2023 Idea Challenge, RCIE's annual student startup showcase.
Winner of the 2024 Rohrer New Venture Competition
Students receive certificates after completing AccelerateRU, RCIE's summer accelerator program.
Creatives 230, RCIE's experiential learning lab bridging entrepreneurs and creatives at Rowan University
Studio 231, RCIE's learning lab and makerspace bridging entrepreneurship and engineering. Pictured is a student technician fitting 3D-printed leg prosthetics on a goat.
IMPACT STORY
Impacting lifes
Julian Doroteo's journey exemplifies the Rowan Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship’s (RCIE) impact at Rowan University. Julian, a first-generation college student and Marine Corps reservist, attended Rowan to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams and found invaluable mentorship and support through the RCIE.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Julian developed an app connecting customers with local licensed barbers for home visits. He competed in the Idea Challenge, participating via video call from a latrine at Fort Dix due to military commitments. Although he did not win, he received valuable feedback from the judges.
Using this feedback, Julian shifted gears and launched Shears, a mobile hair studio. He built a large clientele of Rowan students and faculty, making house calls throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the pandemic, he expanded his client list and attended more RCIE workshops, gaining experience in business planning and pitching.
Julian was accepted into RCIE’s Startup Opportunity Fund, which supports first-generation and underrepresented aspiring entrepreneurs. With the fund’s personalized mentorship, he developed a new dream: opening a brick-and-mortar barbershop. He continued refining his business plan and competed in the New Venture Expo.
Julian was then accepted into RCIE’s highly-selective AccelerateRU program and received seed-funding to open his storefront. In 2023, he opened Shears Hair Studio in Bridgeton, NJ. Julian’s ability to connect with his community, particularly Spanish-speaking individuals, and his commitment to quality service have made his business a local success. “The support I've received provided a bridge to connect my dreams to reality,” he said.
LEARNINGS
Lessons learned
Being selected as a finalist for America's Most Impactful Initiative of the Year has allowed us to reflect on the key factors behind our success. We believe the main factor is our interdisciplinary approach to entrepreneurship. Bringing together students from various disciplines has enriched the learning experience and led to innovative initiatives that might not have emerged in a more siloed environment.
An example of this is Studio 231, RCIE’s learning lab and makerspace bridging entrepreneurship and engineering, and Creatives 230, RCIE’s experiential learning lab bridging entrepreneurship and creatives. These initiatives allow students from diverse disciplines to collaborate on projects, gaining practical skills and portfolio-building experience. Additionally, the Startup Opportunity Fund has shown that providing targeted support to underrepresented students yields significant benefits, both for the student and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.
For those aspiring to create a similar path, several pieces of advice stand out. First, invest in creating collaborative spaces that encourage experimentation and interdisciplinary work. These environments are crucial for sparking creativity and innovation. Second, create ample opportunities for experiential learning. Programs that let students work on real-world projects, interact with industry leaders, and participate in startup competitions provide invaluable experience and confidence.
Furthermore, maintaining your program’s momentum while identifying and capitalizing on gaps of opportunity is important for growth. For example, we saw that some creative students lacked business skills needed post-graduation, while student entrepreneurs needed skills in brand identity and design. Recognizing this gap led to the launch of Creatives 230.
FUTURE PLANS
What's coming?
Over the past few years, we’ve continued to grow in national, regional, and state rankings, earning multiple global and national recognitions for our programs and initiatives. Looking ahead, we plan to build on this momentum and expand our interdisciplinary approach to entrepreneurship education. We believe the future of entrepreneurship lies in breaking down silos and fostering collaboration across disciplines and aim to serve as the main hub of entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity in the region.
Our primary focus is expanding Creatives 230 to support more creative entrepreneurs on campus. Since its launch in 2023, Creatives 230 has aided over 20 businesses, including student startups, external businesses, and several community startups through Accelerate South Jersey, using a mutually beneficial peer-to-peer learning model.
By involving more students from diverse majors and programs as hired student creatives, Creatives 230 will be able to accept more client projects, providing additional experiential learning opportunities and portfolio-building experience. This expansion will also allow us to support more student entrepreneurs with high-quality graphic design, photography, video production, and more, enhancing their presentations for competitions or investors.
We also aim to support entrepreneurship majors from their first day on campus. Currently, incoming freshmen take "Interdisciplinary Perspective on Entrepreneurship" in their first semester. To maintain engagement after this course, we are exploring a “Startup Buddy” program that pairs underclassmen with upperclassmen mentors. This program will provide a formal system for peer support, helping students evolve through the program and eventually start their own ventures.
