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Academic year activities for the entrepreneurship program vary depending on what courses and events are available. The following are examples of past activities:
- Entrepreneurship 496 (Entr 496). This 1-3 credit course, which may be repeated for credit up to a maximum of 6 credits, covers new or time-sensitive topics in entrepreneurship.
- Example of an Entr 496 class: This 3 credit, one semester course was taught by Jerman Rose and Denny Davis. Designed for senior students in engineering and business, its goal was to complete a tested prototype for a new technological product and a well-developed business plan for successfully introducing the product in a target market. The prototype was presented in a business plan competition and to stakeholders in order to receive evaluations on the merits of the proposed product implementation and business launch.
- Example of an Entr 496 class: “Capstone Projects in Innovation and Entrepreneurship”. This 3 credit, one semester course was taught jointly by the Colleges of Business and Engineering. Students were given academic material on starting and operating small businesses. In addition, they worked on interdisciplinary teams to prepare business plans for entrepreneurial ideas that were often their own.
- Business Plan Competition. All students in Entr 496 participate in this competition that is sponsored by the College of Business and judged by external referees.
- Engineering Senior Design Course. Entrepreneurship students in this course are asked to use their own ideas as the basis for engineering design projects.
- Entrepreneur interviews with several visitors throughout the year.
- Cheatham Lecture. The Robert A. Cheatham Engineering Management Lecture series was established to honor the late Robert A. Cheatham, a devoted WSU alumnus and a key player in the establishment of the WSU Foundation. Cheatham was an engineer and corporate manager with the Bechtel Corporation. His heirs established the lecture series as a way to bring in the most prominent engineers and/or executives to lecture on engineering management and the business aspects of engineering activities. Past speakers include Richard W. (Dick) Colf, executive vice president of Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc.
- Lanning Distinguished Lecture. This lecture series was established in 1988 and is funded by civil engineering alumnus Jack Dillon '41. The fund was donated in honor of his late wife, Frances Lanning Dillon. The lecture is meant to augment students' knowledge of the profession beyond the academic dimension. It is held on an annual basis, usually in the fall of each year although on occasion it is held in the spring depending on the availability of the speaker. Past speakers include Bonnie J. Dunbar, President and CEO of The Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA.
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