LMU Entrepreneurship Certificate Program

The nationally-ranked entrepreneurship program at LMU offers a FREE certificate program that introduces students to the world of entrepreneurship! This is an excellent opportunity for students from various disciplines to learn the most fundamental and essential concepts in entrepreneurship. Program participants will gain a solid foundation in generating new business models, developing an entrepreneurial mindset, design thinking, raising capital, growth marketing, etc. 

All LMU undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply to the Entrepreneurship Certificate Program, with the exception of entrepreneurship majors and MSESI students. This cohort program is offered in both fall and spring semesters. Students can finish the program in one semester or over two semesters. The SPRING cohort needs to complete all the requirements by the end of the following FALL semester and vice versa for the fall cohort. CBA students earn CBA Advantage points for each session attended!

This program is provided at NO COST for students currently enrolled at LMU. 

Application Deadline: Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025

Certificate Requirements

Program participants must earn 10 points from Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship activities, such as:

• LMU Startup Weekend (6 points)
• LMU New Idea Pitch Competition (1-3 points)
• Company Visits (2 points per visit)
• Alumni Wall of Honor & Student Awards Celebration (2 points)
• Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneur Lectures (2 points)
• Entrepreneurship Society Speaker Events (1 point per event)
• LMU Family Business Entrepreneurship Conference (2 points)
• Incubator Showcase (2 points)

Sessions

The following six sessions are taught by esteemed LMU faculty. Sessions 1 - 6 are mandatory. Sessions 1, 3, and 6 must be completed in the semester the student enrolls in the program.

Not complying with the session requirements (including in person attendance) will result in immediate student unenrollment from the program.

Session 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Business Model Canvas Kickoff (mandatory; must be completed in SPRING 2025) 
Friday, Feb. 14
1 - 4 p.m. in Hilton 031

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship (2 hours)
• Business Model Canvas Kickoff (1 hour) - introduction to key activities, team formation

Session 2: Entrepreneurial Mindset (mandatory; can be completed in SPRING/FALL 2025) 
Friday, Feb. 21 
1 - 3 p.m. in Hilton 031

• Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Personal Initiative Training
• Goal-Setting

Session 3: Business Model Canvas Team- Work (mandatory; must be completed in SPRING 2025)
Friday, Feb. 28
1 - 3:30 p.m. in Hilton 031

Pre-work: Post Session 1, students would have reviewed a series of videos on the business model canvas (online asynchronous). Each team would have submitted a business idea.

Sessions 4 & 5 will each contribute 2 points toward the co-curricular point total.

• Session 4: Raising Capital (mandatory; can be completed in SPRING/FALL 2025)
  Friday, March 14
  1 - 3 p.m. in Hilton 031
  
  
• Session 5: Growth Marketing (mandatory; can be completed in SPRING/FALL 2025)
  Friday, March 21
  1 - 3 p.m. in Hilton 031

Session 6: Business Model Canvas Review (mandatory; must be completed in SPRING 2025)
Friday, April 11
1 - 3 p.m. in Hilton 031

• At the review session, each team will present the Business Model Canvas for their business idea. The students will walk through the different boxes in the business model canvas and get feedback from the instructor. Students can ask questions and seek clarification. Each student is expected to contribute.
  
  
• Pre-work: Each team must complete & submit a module business model canvas before the review session. Each team would have talked to prospective target customers, understood their needs (with respect to the problem/need that the team is pursuing), submitted the key findings from the customer conversations and modified the business model as appropriate.