Former Inc. editor teaches budding entrepreneurs.

Know a dancer eager to start her own troupe? How about a biology student who wants to open a medical clinic? They probably want to know about the Innovation & Entrepreneurship program at Clark University (Mass.), now in its third semester. The program has been designed to be a minor for students who want to meld their passions for scholarly subjects with startup zeal. Led by George Gendron, the programs founder, students take a core I&E curriculum in topics such as organizational management, compensation, sales, and team motivation, while carrying the course loads for their majors. Gendron knows these startup topics well. For 20 years he was editor of Inc., a magazine that covers new companies and small businesses. When he and other investors sold the title several years ago he decided to re-enter higher ed, having been an instructor at Boston University (Mass.) years ago.

Gendron notes that Clark eschewed the predictable route of creating an I&E major because the university wanted to stay true to its liberal arts tradition. He also focuses on the realities of starting an organization. Much talk about entrepreneurship perpetuates the myth that a proposal leads to a written business plan, which leads to venture capitalists forking over $20 million in funding. Most startup ventures do not begin this way, insists Gendron. Powerhouses like Microsoft, Dell, and others were once just good ideas championed by a bunch of passionate unknowns who started with modest financial means. "We don't try to thwart ambition or tell students not to think big," he says. Rather, the I&E program is about grasping the business principles that will help dreams come true. There are currently 150 students enrolled in Clark's program.--J.M.A.