{"id":173801,"date":"2021-06-11T13:05:28","date_gmt":"2021-06-11T17:05:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=173801"},"modified":"2021-06-08T14:19:01","modified_gmt":"2021-06-08T18:19:01","slug":"uconns-werth-institute-recognized-for-excellence-in-entrepreneurship-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2021\/06\/uconns-werth-institute-recognized-for-excellence-in-entrepreneurship-education\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn\u2019s Werth Institute Recognized for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education"},"content":{"rendered":"

From business to nutritional sciences, engineering to the arts, the Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation<\/a> has distinguished itself as a dynamic and multidisciplinary environment where all UConn students can find an opportunity to learn, connect, and innovate alongside their entrepreneurially minded peers and with the help of seasoned educators and mentors.<\/p>\n

Now, after less than four years, The Werth Institute has been recognized for its unique, accessible, and broad-based approach to entrepreneurial education by the prestigious Deshpande Symposium,<\/a> with the 2021 Award for Excellence in Curriculum Innovation in Entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n

The Deshpande Symposium Award recognizes an institution that demonstrates exemplary commitment to, and success in, developing and offering innovative educational courses and programs that foster entrepreneurship education across the institution. The Werth Institute accepted the award on June 11 at the symposium\u2019s 10th<\/sup> annual conference, held virtually.<\/p>\n

\u201cEntrepreneurship can be a change agent in business and academia,\u201d says Werth Institute Director David Noble. \u201cThe Werth Institute helps students with an entrepreneurial spirit in the sciences, engineering, arts, and other areas of study specialties develop the business knowledge and connect with mentors who can help them to become \u2018disruption ready,\u2019 a sought after skill in today\u2019s workplace. In just three years, The Werth Institute has become an integral part of the student experience and is key to UConn\u2019s strategic direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Werth Institute is a critical pillar in UConn\u2019s drive to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among its students,\u201d says Carl Lejuez, UConn provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. \u201cThis award is a noteworthy recognition of the institute\u2019s efforts, and fuels UConn\u2019s momentum as a leader in entrepreneurial education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Established in December 2017 thanks to an historic $22.5 million gift from philanthropist and entrepreneur Peter J. Werth, The Werth Institute brings together myriad programs that foster entrepreneurship and innovation \u2013 supporting ideas that potentially have commercial application and can be used to create new companies. In addition to nurturing innovation, the Institute facilitates programs, including entrepreneurship speaker forums, and hosts an entrepreneur-in-residence to instruct students.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt The Werth Institute, we know it\u2019s not enough to just copy best practices or duplicate the work of other institutions,\u201d Noble says. \u201cEntrepreneurship is so much bigger than a few startups \u2013 it’s an entire approach to school, to your career, and to life. This award validates UConn’s approach to using entrepreneurship as a platform to bring Life Transformative Education to our student body through increasingly exciting initiatives, and it\u2019s testament to the ecosystem that Peter Werth, through his generosity, empowered us to build. And while it\u2019s deeply gratifying to be recognized by national organizations, our primary mission will always be to support student dreams and aspirations \u2013 so watch out, because there\u2019s so much yet to come!\u201d<\/p>\n

With over 60 programs ranging from a one-day conference to entire degree programs, and more than 100 active mentors, entrepreneurship permeates nearly every corner of UConn. The Werth Institute\u2019s signature programs include:<\/p>\n