As humorously noted by new Morgridge Entrepreneurial Bootcamp (MEB) alumni, Nish Banka (MEB 2024), in his speech at the community dinner, 2024 marks the program’s “millennium class.” Since its inaugural year in 2007, MEB has hosted more than 1,000 postgraduate students, and the extensive potential for entrepreneurial innovation demonstrated by MEB class of 2024 is a testament to the program’s ability to draw in and cultivate some of the brightest minds on campus. Over 50 individuals, organizations and alumni made donations to create a $1.5 million endowment to support the program and thank the Morgridges for all they have done for the University. John was instrumental in working with Wisconsin School of Business faculty and staff and WARF in developing the bootcamp and has been an instructor in the program since the beginning in 2007. Contributions from these individuals support students as they shape how Wisconsin ideas push the world forward as both individuals and entrepreneurs.
MEB’s teaching style is based on student engagement and participation, and the vast thought processes and ideas presented by participants’ broad academic specializations make it a mutually educational experience for panelists, speakers, and students. Each day, students expanded the horizons of their STEM education by engaging with case studies where they could analyze and assess potential options for entrepreneurs based on real-life experiences of CEOs and innovators. Notably, MEB students have the unique experience of hearing John Morgridge refer to himself in the third person as he led the student debrief on the CISCO case, which discusses the administrative considerations of a younger Morgridge as he was newly appointed CEO of the company. There are numerous enriching experiences, but in a personal favorite, Professor Emeritus Anne Miner’s Imagining Products and Opportunities exercise puts students’ creativity skills to the test and students’ ideas, including insect communication devices for farmers or sepsis-sensing technology, never lack imagination. Whether it is when they explored organizational strategy in Planning to Pivot with Russ Coff or embarking on an Entrepreneurship Simulation with senior lecturer Phil Greenwood, MEB Class of 2024 got many opportunities to hone in their team-working skills. Through panelists, students not only learned alternative business routes, like working at venture capital firms, from fellow STEM students and entrepreneurs alike but they also were able to practice on their elevator pitches. We could not be more proud to have a record-breaking 28 students present and receive feedback on their pitches this year!
A heartfelt thank you to all the panelists, guest speakers, alumni, instructors, and students for making the “MEB millenium class” exceptional. We are also deeply grateful for John and Tashia Morgridge’s generous contributions to the UW community and their unwavering support of MEB. Congratulations to our new alumni and the bright futures they will create!
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