Summer Entrepreneurship Institute

​​​​​​Experience two of the most exciting cities in the U.S., Chicago and New York City, while exploring social entrepreneurship.

This unique, 2-week, multi-city program is designed to introduce international and domestic high school students to the principles of design thinking and entrepreneurship focused on social good.​

Pr​ogram Description

For two weeks, students attend entrepreneurship workshops led by faculty in the Driehaus College of Business, in partnership with the Coleman Center of Entrepreneurship at DePaul University, and the Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies (CCPS) at St. John's University. Students will be encouraged to start a project from the beginning of formulating and designing a business idea, product or service using design thinking, and will work through the stages of ideation, market research, prototyping, costing and production to finalize the project.  Workshops will alternate ideation/prototyping workshops with business analysis and planning for the realization of a project work culminating in a Microproject Competition to be judged by faculty from both Colleges and external experts. The program is designed following an entrepreneurial accelerator format including plenty of hands-on and practical sessions to simulate the typical stages of development of innovative ideas. The program features off-campus excursions including some of the most famous historical and cultural sites in Chicago and NYC. Students are safely housed in secure housing facilities and supervised 24/7 by program staff.   

Program Cost Includes:

• 30 hours of workshops 

  

  
  
• Housing, including linens
  
• All meals
• Air Transportation between Chicago and New York City   
  
• Local Transportation in each city
  
• Off Campus Activities
  
• Chaperones
  

Cost for Summer 2024: TBA

​Eligibility

​Important Dates​​​