The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the Coleman Foundation, has announced the selection of three Coleman Fellows for the 2014-2015 academic year. Faculty members awarded this distinction are given a two-semester stipend to integrate entrepreneurship into existing course work or develop curriculum for a new class.

These fellows join 19 other faculty members at Fresno State who have been awarded a Coleman fellowship since the program was created in 2005. The Coleman Foundation, based in Chicago, adopted the model in 2010, making it a nationally-recognized program. To date, some 300 Coleman Fellows have been selected at more than 30 campuses across the country.

The Coleman Foundation Faculty Fellows Program advances the Coleman definition of entrepreneurship, which is self-employment through business ownership which has significant elements of risk, reward and control,” said Joe Roberts, program director for the Coleman Fellows program. “Coleman Fellows teach entrepreneurship concepts to non-business majors in the language of their disciplines.”

The 2014 Coleman Fellows include:

Wei Wu, Ph.D., is an assistant professor with the Construction Management Program at Fresno State’s Lyles College of Engineering. Wu will develop a new course, Construction IT and Entrepreneurship, with plans to offer it in spring 2015.

“It’s such a privilege and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to challenge the next-generation entrepreneurs and be part of the future yet to be created,” Wu said.

Hongwei Dong, Ph.D., is an assistant professor with Fresno State’s College of Social Science in the Department of Geography and City and Regional Planning. With the addition of entrepreneurship to his Introduction to Urban Planning course, Dong said he plans to “use it as a lens to help his students understand post-modern urban economic development policies and politics in American cities.”

Richard Wanjema, M.F.A., is an assistant professor of art and design with Fresno State’s College of Arts and Humanities. Wanjema said he will redevelop the Internet Design course to examine entrepreneurial components. He added that he feels “really honored to be selected for the award.”

Courses taught by Coleman Fellows serve as electives for more than 150 students currently pursuing degrees in entrepreneurship at Fresno State’s Craig School of Business.

For more information, contact Dr. Timothy Stearns at 559.294.2045 or timothys@csufresno.edu.

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