UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Smeal College of Business will add to its roster of majors for undergraduate students and expand its portfolio of entrepreneurship-related initiatives with the launch this semester of a new corporate innovation and entrepreneurship (CIENT) major.
Administered by the Department of Management and Organization with substantial involvement of the college’s Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, CIENT is the eighth major available to Smeal’s more than 5,000 undergraduates.
“The new corporate innovation and entrepreneurship major is a wonderful addition to the portfolio of entrepreneurship activities in Smeal,” said Charles H. Whiteman, the John and Becky Surma Dean of the Smeal College.
“The Farrell Center has supported entrepreneurial activities in Smeal for over 20 years, and Smeal has contributed to the university’s entrepreneurship minor from the beginning. With the creation of the major, a new set of students will have the opportunity to focus even more fully on developing entrepreneurial talent.”
CIENT is designed to develop problem solving and creative thinking skills, along with the ability to spot trends, recognize opportunities and develop plans to capitalize on high-potential ideas. Students interested in starting and managing new businesses as well as those interested in managing innovation and re-inventing businesses — with the intent of growing the economy and providing jobs for a diverse workforce — should find the major appealing.
Penn State President Eric Barron has spoken recently about creating a ‘culture of entrepreneurship’ at the University. The CIENT major aligns with those goals.
“Every great inventor needs a great entrepreneur to take a product to market, and students in every major can benefit from opportunities to be involved in engaging mindsets and new ventures,” Barron said.
CIENT is the latest addition to a culture of entrepreneurship at Smeal. Other highlights include:
-- Innovation and entrepreneurship is one of the concentrations available to students in the Penn State Smeal MBA Program. Master of business administration students also manage the Garber Venture Capital Fund, which invests in early stage, Penn State-related startups and technology.
-- The Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship contributes to and interprets the best in academic research in the field of entrepreneurship, including innovation and knowledge management.
-- The Center for Managing Technology and Organizational Change focuses on the role of technology in society as well the management of organizational change initiatives.