Monthly Archives: December 2017

ShareUMSL Accelerate provides many entrepreneurship courses, a world-class entrepreneurship certificate and fosters innovation and entrepreneurship through the Entrepreneur in Residence program. Jake Schmidt, Founder at Fidgetly, is one of the students who enrolled in the EiR program and regularly meets our successful mentors for guidance and help. Tamas Javor: Jake, please tell me a little bit about yourself and your entrepreneurial endeavors. Jake: I started my entrepreneurial journey when I was in 4th grade going to Costco buying candy bars in bulk and then selling them to my fellow classmates.  From there I started a lawn care business with two […]

Fidgetly – The Smart Fidget Spinner

 in Entrepreneur in Residence / Innovate by
ShareLast year, I came up with an idea for a tech startup to help retention rates at Universities. I conducted some initial research and decided this is a venture I need to pursue. The only problem was I didn’t know where to start. This is understandable considering I have no tech experience, never started my own business, and never worked with a startup. I am 20-year-old Finance student at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, where do I start? I heard about Entrepreneur in Residence in the spring of 2017 and how it helps the UMSL community take ideas […]

How I Became a CEO

 in Entrepreneur in Residence / Innovate by
ShareGeneration Z: lazy, self-absorbed, tech-obsessed, and unequipped for the workplace… OK Generation Z, cue the well-deserved eyeroll. You can probably recite these negative associations to your age group in your sleep. While these are unfair generalizations, they’re still real barriers you’ll need to overcome as you enter the workforce. The good news? Despite all the harsh judgements, you do have a number of soft skills that make you uniquely positioned to prove the critics wrong. So now is the time to learn to use them. Remember, you grew up during the Great Recession, and while you may not have realized […]

Generation Z, These Skills Will Earn You Jobs After College

 in Useful Tips by
ShareA college education is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately for entrepreneurs, attending a four-year university also carries some significant drawbacks. The latest data on student loan debt from Debt.org tells a grim story for new graduates: The average debt at graduation is now more than $37,172 per student. Related: Does a College Degree Still Matter? For anyone entering the job market, a college degree is simply the price of admission. Entrepreneurs, however, need more than a piece of paper; they need relevant, hands-on skills they can use to succeed in the real world. For new and established founders, getting the most […]

3 Real-World Tactics Entrepreneurs Should Take Advantage of During (and ...

 in EC@UMSL / Educate / Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship Certificate / Useful Tips by
ShareMost of us can conjure up an image of “the boring professor” droning on and on in front of dozing students. While the centuries-old lecture format can be an efficient way to transfer knowledge, it doesn’t necessarily further learning. In fact, studies have shown that students’ attention tends to drift after the first 10 minutes of a lecture. On the other hand, students gain a lasting understanding when they’re asked to actively teach or use concepts, explains Harvard University’s Eric Mazur. Furthermore, when given the chance to practice what they’ve learned, students’ retention rate averages 75 percent, up from the […]

3 Ways to Use Experiential Learning to Boost Your Career

 in Useful Tips by
ShareEntrepreneur in Residence (EIR) is a program, powered by UMSL Accelerate, that gives all University of Missouri – St. Louis students, faculty, and community members the opportunity to receive mentorship from professionals in the field on how to turn ideas from mind to market. This program is open to individuals of all majors and backgrounds. It doesn’t matter if you are pursuing a science, nursing or business degree. As long as you have an idea with a desire to turn it into the next best thing, you are eligible to take advantage of this program! Over time, it has been […]

Why EIR at UMSL?

 in Entrepreneur in Residence / Innovate by