This document summarizes the efforts of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences to grow entrepreneurship in its programs. It discusses forming a core team to "infuse entrepreneurial thinking", engaging other university faculties and students, and identifying champions within the college. It provides examples of entrepreneurship events held and metrics on their impacts, such as mentoring over 30 students and funding several student venture teams. It also reflects on lessons learned, such as defining their work, building networks, focusing events for impact, and being willing to change plans while keeping the overall vision. The goal is to facilitate entrepreneurship across the college's students, faculty, alumni and Pennsylvania citizens.

1. Growing Entrepreneurship in
Penn State’s Ag Space
Mark A. Gagnon, Judd H. Michael
and Barry L. Zoumas (dec.)
Mar 24, 2012
NCIIA 2012 Open Conference
San Francisco, CA
I wish to thank the USDA for providing funding for our work under Award No. 2009-34614-19801

2. In Memoriam
Barry L. Zoumas

3. “Entrepreneurship at Penn State…I just
don’t see it, not that I would not want to see
it…”
– Quote from a successful entrepreneur/Penn State alumnus

4. Two worlds collide
Agriculture
+ Entrepreneurship

5. Tilling the soil
• Core team
• “Infuse entrepreneurial thinking”
• The junto
• Managing expectations
• Beta results

6. Who’s on First?
A lead cow is needed

7. Define your work!
Don’t let others!
Entrepreneurs capitalize on opportunities by
forming new businesses or organizations that
are capable of creating value.

8. Hybridize
• We can’t do this alone- it would
be dumb
• Building the network
– Engage other eship faculty across
the University
– Students: Find the 1% for
inspiration then move up to 5%
– Identify champions in our College
– Inform leadership
• Proactively repeat

9. Events with impact
• Resident Education
– Creating awareness
– Confronting views
– Catching the 1%
– Developing the 1%
Entrepreneurship Forums
– Aspiring to get to the 5-?
5% 4 – making impact
3 – getting better
2 – good start
1 –non event

10. Event Examples

11. Be prepared to change the plan and
not the vision
• Create awareness
– entrepreneurship as an option for students
• Catch the 1-2%
– prepare them to be successful
• Grow to capture the 5%
– who will at some time be entrepreneurial
• Affect positive change

12. PSU AgSci eship time line

13. AgSci Strategic dashboard
Core Values Mission
Lifelong learning We seek to facilitate the development of entrepreneurs
Nurture the entrepreneurial spirit across the college’s constituency which includes
Lead innovation, change & creativity students, faculty, alumni and citizens of the
Integrity Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Collaboration (Why we do what we do)
(What guides us)
Vision
The College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State will lead land grant universities in delivering cutting
edge entrepreneurship education, experiential training and applied entrepreneurship research that addresses
humanity’s pressing challenges in agriculture and natural resources. (What we wish to be)
Goals
(How we will get there)
I. Facilitate entrepreneurship II. Conduct impactful entrepreneurship III. Engage college stakeholders IV. Provide
research in agriculture impactful
in AgSci resident education entrepreneurship
extension
I. Objective F11/Sp12
A. Obtain >20 AgSci student enrollment in intro
eship courses and >1 student into minor
External Impact Factor I.
B. Increase awareness of entrepreneurship for 1. Students who create & grow
AgSci students >50% random awareness poll of tomorrow’s successful companies
college entrepreneurship effort for juniors 2. Students who become exceptional
C. Facilitate entrepreneurial activities with AgSci
entrepreneurial/innovative employees
students >5 venture teams, >10 students mentored
and at least 1 student venture created/supported

14. Our growing season-thus far…
• Impacted 500+ students with Ag-eship
events
• Mentored over 30 entrepreneurial
students
• 18 teams competed in our first
competition, 12 submitted final plans and
$7K was awarded
• 5 teams out of the competition are active
– 1 launched his company
– 1 Won 2nd in Smeal idea pitch, another in
top 4
– 1 Team going forward with prototyping
LEARN MORE:
Keep entrepreneurship on PHONE:
610-322-1990
E-MAIL:
HOMEGROWNFARMING@GMAIL.COM
our student radar WEB:
FACEBOOK.COM/ HOMEGROWNFARM

15. What doesn’t work
• Defining things
• Creating a debate before the core is set
• Going at it on our own
• Waiting for leadership to make things
happen
• Box checking
• Overload & the value of focus
• Bootstrapping in perpetuity

16. What works
• Being our own boss
• Networking – not reinventing the wheel
• Recruiting expertise- ask
• Taking action and creating our own destiny
• Engaging key stakeholders frequently
• Money and resource flows

17. Lessons Learned
1. Build the core team behind the scenes
2. Define what you are doing and don’t
let others define it for you
3. A change point person is needed
4. Build and leverage networks
5. Events focus on impact
6. Have recruiting incentives for faculty
7. Be prepared to change the plan and
not the vision

18. www.agsci.psu.edu/entrepreneur
Questions?