Undergraduate Selected for UM Entrepreneurial Scholars, Interns Program
Junior Natasha Brewer Is One of 15 Students Chosen from All 4 Campuses in the System
Columbia, Mo. (Dec. 29, 2014) — Missouri School of Journalism junior Natasha Brewer is one of 15 undergraduates from all four campuses in the University of Missouri System who will be part of the inaugural class of the UM System Entrepreneurial Scholars and Interns program.
Starting in the spring semester, students will begin taking approved entrepreneurial-related courses to be followed by a 10-week, paid summer internship. This exclusive program provides the students with a strong academic foundation in entrepreneurship as well as the opportunity to learn from a mentor or work within a start-up company.
The goal of the program is to create a steady stream of entrepreneurs around the state capable of taking their cutting-edge ideas to the market as new business ventures. Creating this new wave of well-educated entrepreneurs in Missouri will benefit the local, regional and national economies.
“Entrepreneurial experiences for students, at such a young age, is huge for the state,” University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe said. “By creating this culture on our campuses – one that encourages innovation – we will produce well-educated entrepreneurs that will power Missouri’s 21st Century economy.”
Brewer, from Ohio, studies multimedia journalism and entrepreneurship. She is a member of the University of Missouri Entrepreneurship Alliance, the Griffiths Leadership Society for Women, the Honors College and MU Entrepreneurs as well as serves as a site leader for Mizzou Alternative Breaks. Brewer’s interest with entrepreneurship began when she helped plan, design and teach entrepreneurship camps and programs for adolescents for Missouri 4-H during the summer of 2014.
Brewer will be enrolled in two entrepreneurial-related courses during the spring 2015 semester: Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship and Principles of Management. She plans to pursue an MBA after graduation in May 2016.
“I think my main goal for this experience is to gain more knowledge and confidence about owning a business,” Brewer said. “I also look forward to making stronger connections with those in the entrepreneurial community in Missouri.”
The UM System Entrepreneurial Scholars and Interns program introduces students from different degree programs on each of the four system campuses to entrepreneurial principles and practices and creates a network of connections centered on entrepreneurship. The application process was open to all undergraduate students on all four campuses. In total, 38 applications were received from disciplines ranging from journalism, environmental engineering, nursing and graphic design.
Updated: July 31, 2020