For nearly 22 years, John Surdyk has energized UW–Madison’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. As director of the Initiative for Studies in Transformational Entrepreneurship (INSITE), he helped thousands of students transform ideas into ventures, nonprofits and creative projects.
He is now heading to Colby College to direct the Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship, where he will develop programs that foster innovation, social impact and collaboration. His move ends an era at UW but continues his mission to empower people and strengthen communities. “I am fond of the people who are building the foundations of organizations that will make life better for everyone,” he says. “This opportunity lets me build upon the work I have done at UW.”
Before building entrepreneurship programs at UW, John studied Earth Systems Science and Economics at Stanford, envisioning a career in environmental policy. He then entered consulting—first with technology firms and later valuing damages in environmental insurance cases—and began to question the impact of his work.
“I realized I needed an MBA to understand what organizations are, how they are put together, and what they are meant to accomplish,” he says. That realization led him to UW–Madison’s MBA program, where he studied finance, management, strategy and entrepreneurship, and he discovered a desire to use business skills for social and environmental impact.
After earning his MBA degree, he co‑founded Re‑Envision Consulting to help arts and environmental nonprofits strengthen operations. The firm worked with organizations across the U.S. and Canada whose leaders lacked business expertise. “I felt I owed it to myself and others to do more with the experience and skills I had,” he says. Although logistical challenges eventually shuttered the firm, the experience convinced John that entrepreneurship is less about launching companies than empowering people to solve problems and build communities.
At UW, John turned his philosophy into action. In the early 2000s, he signed up to help Professor Anne Miner and other faculty create pathways for students across the university as interest in entrepreneurship grew. He helped establish the Startup Learning Community, the Wisconsin Entrepreneurial Bootcamp (now known as the Morgridge Entrepreneurial Bootcamp), business plan and pitch competitions, and certificates in entrepreneurship and innovation. Working with many campus colleagues, including the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship, he helped embed entrepreneurship across campus. He distills his approach into three principles: capabilities, confidence and connections. “If we deliver these three things, we serve our students well,” he says.
John became known for guiding students to opportunities they might never have found otherwise. His advice: “Let UW surprise you.” He suspects he has served 7,000–8,000 students through programs, mentorship, classes, and campus initiatives. “We have developed so many resources and opportunities over the decades,” he says. “Leaving students and colleagues is hard, but I am proud of the foundation we have built.”
John now takes his design philosophy to Maine. As director of the Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship at Colby College, he will lead an interdisciplinary initiative focused on social innovation, experiential learning, and collaboration. The role reconnects him with his environmental and community interests. Maine’s sustainability focus and “blue entrepreneurship” tied to the state’s coastal ecosystems mirror themes that shaped his early career. In many ways, the move is a full‑circle moment returning to the intersection of science, innovation, and public impact that first inspired him.
“The kinds of students I will work with are going to be very different in a liberal arts setting. UW has so many majors and degree programs — journalists, medical doctors, engineers, lawyers, dairy scientists, and many more — and that mix is something I will miss,” he says.
John’s departure marks the end of an important chapter for UW. His influence will endure in the programs he helped to build, the culture he fostered, and the students he mentored. While Madison will miss him, colleagues are excited to see what he builds at Colby.
We wish you all the very best John in your new endeavors!
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