Entrepreneurship programs are becoming a staple in university education across the nation, but ASU is slow to follow suit.
Educators are taking part in these programs to develop entrepreneurial thinking, which encompasses communication, innovation, analysis and critical thinking.
Every year, Entrepreneur Magazine ranks schools' entrepreneurship programs based on how many entrepreneurial opportunities are offered.
ASU is one of 73 schools offering fewer entrepreneurship courses and initiatives than most universities, according to Entrepreneur Magazine's data.
On the other hand, UA was given the magazine's highest rating, Tier-1 status of national comprehensive programs.
The University was honored for its Karl Eller Center, UA's business school; and the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program, a degree program that deals specifically with entrepreneurship.
UA was ranked No. 2 in the nation for two years in a row.
In 2003, ASU created the Office of Economic Affairs to deepen economic relationships and manage entrepreneurship programs.
The programs include ASU Technopolis and the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative.
ASU Technopolis helps educate and network entrepreneurs, and the Edson Initiative was designed to provide funding, training and office space for student entrepreneurs.
James Spiers, marketing professor at ASU, started an entrepreneurship program almost a decade ago for his honors students.
"They have the regular class then they have this break out where they have this live project," Spiers said.
Spiers said the goal is to get students to apply what they are learning in the classroom in a real-world situation.
He said the program, which pairs the students up with a client, allows the students to create a fully functioning marketing agency.
"It gives them a sense of what's involved in the decision-making process, and it gives them goals," Spiers said. "They have a job which is all built around entrepreneurship."
This year, Spiers used EdVenture Partners to pair the students up with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which provides up-to-date geospatial intelligence in support of national security objectives.
EdVenture Partners is a marketing education consultant that develops and manages industry-education partnerships.
The students created Sun Devil Solutions to produce a marketing and branding campaign for NGA to raise awareness for the government agency and its career opportunities.
Jennifer Saphir, a marketing junior involved in Sun Devil Solutions, said this is the first time she has taken on a project this large.
"Basically we started from scratch," Saphir said. "So it's a lot of work thrown into a short amount of time."
Sun Devil Solutions had to present their marketing strategy to NGA, and they are working to set up informational booths during homecoming week to provide information about NGA and career opportunities, Saphir said.
Learning how to work together and communicate were some of the biggest challenges, but all of the work will pay off, she said.
"It's a lot of work, but it's a lot of good experience," Saphir said. "At the end, we'll have a book that we have to hand in to NGA showing everything we've done. I think that will be a great thing to put on our resumes."
Reach the reporter at beth.cochran@asu.edu.
