SKANDALARIS CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES


The Skandalaris Center (SC) is a campus-wide initiative serving students in seven Schools at the University as well as the broader St. Louis community.

 The Skandalaris Center was founded in 2003 when the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation selected Washington University as one of eight initial “Kauffman Campuses,” with a goal of making entrepreneurship education available across campus, enabling any student, regardless of field of study, to access entrepreneurial experiences.

The Skandalaris Center reports to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton, who has charged the Center with spreading entrepreneurship education, activity and culture into the classrooms, laboratories and fabric of the University. The University’s goal is to ignite entrepreneurial interest and learning in all disciplines, including business, law, physical sciences, social sciences, art, architecture, engineering, medicine and social work.

The Center serves all students, faculty and staff who are interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. The Center coordinates more than 50 entrepreneurship courses across campus, including capstone course — the Hatchery and the Skandalaris Student Venture Fund (SSVF). 

In the Hatchery, students form teams to write a business plan for a new commercial or social venture. Ideas for the new ventures may come from students or community entrepreneurs. The SSVF is an MBA student-run, advisor-guided investment fund. In the class, students review deals, perform due diligence and present investment recommendations and reports. 

Cocurricular programs include IdeaBounce®, Coffee with the Experts, the Olin Cup, the YouthBridge Social Enterprise and Innovation Competition, the Skandalaris Seminar Series and the Skandalaris Center Internship Program.  

For more information, visit the Skandalaris Center website.