Every college is ready to help students Start Something

Iowa State's "Start Something" network of college-based academic offerings in innovation and entrepreneurship opened its front gate this week. A Start Something website introduces prospective undergraduates to a growing portfolio of educational options in innovation and entrepreneurship -- regardless of the ISU college they select. Those options include for-credit courses, capstone projects, internships and more.

The Start Something site also features the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, the place that started Iowa State down this path in 1996 and serves students in all colleges with an entrepreneurial idea they want to pursue.

Recently, two colleges changed the name of existing programs -- the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative and Engineering Entrepreneurship Initiative -- to Start Something. Others consolidated programming on their college "Start Something" websites. The six colleges plan to continually expand and update those offerings.

Innovation at home in every college

But beyond a new website, Start Something represents Iowa State's far-reaching strategy for educating students in innovation and entrepreneurship. It's not contained to one college or a handful of programs. It has a home in six ISU colleges.

"Prospective students with interest in entrepreneurship and innovation can visit the new Start Something webpage, a one-stop shop to explore educational offerings across campus," said Jacy Johnson, associate vice president for strategic relations and communications. "The Start Something network connects these efforts under one name, demonstrating each undergraduate college's commitment to the common goal of solidifying ISU's leadership in student innovation and entrepreneurship."

Start Something is a component of Innovate at Iowa State. Other pieces include the Student Innovation Center, providing unique, state-of-the-art space where students can design, fabricate, test and demonstrate their ideas; and applied faculty research that pursues insightful solutions to evolving challenges in our world.