New learning community to encourage creativity, entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary learningMay 06, 2004Cynthia J. Moritzcjmoritz@syr.edu
One might think that entrepreneurs belong in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and creative types belong in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. But according to the planners of the upcoming Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Learning Community, that statement may be wrong on both counts.
Organizers insist that everyone is a potential entrepreneur, and those who are able to tap into their creative, innovative and entrepreneurial potential in any field will encounter more opportunities in life and be better prepared to capitalize on those opportunities.
“Entrepreneurship is not limited to the start-up of a new business; rather, it is a spirit, a mindset and a process that gives life and growth to creativity,” says Eric Alderman, Whitman Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice and director of the community.
That is why the new community will be open to students from all schools and colleges at SU. “We seek a broad platform for this incubator for ideas, and there will be no more than 50 percent of students from the Whitman School of Management in the CIE learning community,” says Alderman.
The community will be housed in Dellplain Hall and will accommodate as many as 100 students. Even before the bulk of incoming freshmen have submitted their residence applications, students from eight different schools and colleges have enrolled during the spring signups. The learning community is open to all full-time undergraduate students, and there are no course prerequisites.
Besides living together, CIE students will take a one-credit course, “Discovering the Innovator Within.” They will also be expected to devote at least 10 hours per week to CIE activities, which will include multi-disciplinary lectures, building small business and community-based social entrepreneurship outreach programs, consulting projects and idea and concept “jam sessions.”
Students will be expected to keep a portfolio of their CIE activities. Each one will have the opportunity to be mentored by an entrepreneur. The learning community will also have a menu of social events such as field trips, movies, group meals and team competitive events.
Faculty members from across campus have signed on to be part of the CIE Imagination Team supporting the learning community. In addition to Alderman, they include: Arthur C. Brooks, associate professor of public administration in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a member of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute; William D. Coplin, professor and chair of Maxwell’s public affairs department; Norman Faiola, associate professor and chair of the nutrition department in the College of Human Services and Health Professions; Carlos R.P. Hartmann, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science; Michael H. Morris, Witting Chair in Entrepreneurship and chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises in the Whitman School; Nola Miyasaki, director of the Falcone Center; David Rezak, director of program development in VPA; Elizabeth D. Liddy, professor in the School of Information Studies; and Marcene S. Sonneborn, adjunct faculty member in the Whitman School and small business innovation research specialist for the Central New York Technology Development Organization.
The CIE Learning Community joins the Gateway Learning Community and the Discovery Learning Community as new communities for the Fall 2004 semester. In all, there will be 30 residential learning communities on campus.
