Family Business and Entrepreneurship Minor

The focus of the Family Business and Entrepreneurship minor is on entrepreneurial family businesses and new ventures and their use of innovation as the main growth engine. The minor develops the skills needed to lead and perform effectively as a member of a family business and to recognize and capitalize on opportunities to launch new ventures. The program provides students with hands-on skills through internship and externship activities, mentoring and networking opportunities, applied projects and live case studies and guest speaker lectures offered by enterprising families and new ventures. The S. Dale High Center for Family Business at Elizabethtown College strongly supports the minor. Students who plan on pursuing a career in a family business or entrepreneurial sector after graduation are particularly encouraged to enroll. Ultimately, the capabilities learned through the minor are essential for the success of any business regardless of its size and scope. Open to all majors, except Business Administration, International Business, and Accounting.

For further information, contact the Family Business and Entrepreneurship Minor Director, Dr. Petru Sandu, Department of Business.

Student Learning Outcomes for Family Business and Entrepreneurship Minor:

Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to identify and capitalize on opportunities.

• Identify strategies for turning the unique traits of family businesses into sustainable competitive advantage.

• Demonstrate knowledge of succession planning, best practices in governing a family business, and effective communication and conflict resolution in family firms.

• Develop abilities to work effectively in a team.

• Demonstrate competencies in assessing their family firm using a well-defined framework.