Academics

Entrepreneurship Studies

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Inspiring future entrepreneurs

Build practical skills with local business experts

Steward’s Entrepreneurship Studies program, open to all Upper School students (Grades 9-12), was developed through a partnership between Steward faculty and successful local entrepreneurs. The program is designed to inspire innovation, build practical business skills, and foster meaningful connections between students and the local entrepreneurial community.

The program is a co-curricular series of experiences that include:

lectures and discussions with visiting entrepreneurs on campus and in the Metro Richmond area;
field trips to witness entrepreneurship in action at startups and incubators;
an internship with a local entrepreneur; and
participation in creative brief scenarios with local businesses, resulting in a presentation and pitch to local entrepreneurs.

Participation Opportunities

By engaging in the program’s activities, students earn participation credits. These credits are designated as either “Knowledge Credits” or “Creation Credits.” Knowledge Credits are earned by attending Entrepreneurship Studies events such as lectures or lunchtime discussions (1 Knowledge Credit = Attendance at 1 event). Creation Credits are earned by participating in activities that require a significant level of engagement and commitment of time (1 Creation Credit = 5 or more hours of entrepreneurship-related work).

Diploma Endorsement

Students may earn an Entrepreneurship diploma endorsement by completing the following requirements: 10 Knowledge Credits and 3 Creation Credits. Faculty advisors must review and approve all credits prior to graduation during the student’s senior year.

Example Curriculum

The program offers students several exciting opportunities to collaborate with local businesses. In each experience, students receive a creative brief outlining a real-world challenge. They then work in teams to develop and present pitch-deck solutions, demonstrating creativity, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills. For example, during the 2025-26 academic year, students visited the CarMax Innovation Center and LaDIFF Furniture, followed by pitch contests several weeks later. In addition, they also visited Startup RVA and worked with Holon Health on a Rocket Pitch (a fast-paced, high-energy pitch competition).

Beyond these hands-on projects, students participate in a series of engaging lessons covering essential topics such as marketing, core values, entrepreneurial characteristics, financial statements, and delivering an effective sales pitch. These sessions may be led by Steward faculty or by featured guest speakers. Past guest speakers have come from organizations including CarMax, Storytellers, Spacebomb Studio, Publish to Thrive, LaDIFF Furniture, Richmond SCORE, and the University of Richmond’s Jepson Leadership School.

In the Media

Read these articles from the Richmond media about the launch of the program:

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"We utilize our business backgrounds to facilitate students’ learning and growth. The Entrepreneurship Studies Program fosters collaboration between the Steward community and the Greater Richmond business community with authentic experiences."

-Angela Coppola, Entrepreneurship Studies Program Advisor