The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State, in partnership with the Coleman Foundation, has selected four Coleman Fellows for the 2015-16 academic year. They will join the Fresno State cohort created in 2005, consisting of 21 faculty members.
As part of the Coleman Fellowship, faculty members from a multitude of disciplines incorporate entrepreneurial elements into their lesson plans. A two-semester stipend is offered to faculty members who create a new course within their discipline, or modify existing curriculum to incorporate elements of entrepreneurship. Through the Coleman Fellowship, access to entrepreneurship is made available to students outside of the business school.
The 2015 Fresno State Coleman Fellows are Dean Davis, lecturer in the Craig School of Business and Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology; Dr. Lisa Herzig, associate professor in food science and nutrition; Jes Therkelsen, assistant professor in mass communication and journalism; and Dr. Frederick Nelson, assistant professor in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development.
Davis will offer the Fashion Study Tours course to focus on entrepreneurship within the fashion industry.
“I am very pleased to be selected as a Coleman Fellow and excited about the opportunities it will bring to our students,” Davis said.
Herzig will reshape two courses, Nutrition Assessment and Community Nutrition, to incorporate entrepreneurial components.
“I hope to work with other fellows and discover from them what it means to be an innovator and entrepreneurial,” Herzig said. “My desire is to take some of the innovative ideas that I have and bring it to the classroom so students are able to understand what it means to think outside of the box.”
Therkelsen will develop a special topics course in Media Production Entrepreneurial Concepts.
“I’m honored to join such a diverse and capable cohort on campus,” Therkelsen said. “I’m looking forward to connecting with other fellows.”
Nelson will modify the Methods and Materials for Secondary Science Teaching course to incorporate entrepreneurial themes.
“I am honored to be engaged in this exciting program as the first Coleman Fellow from the Kremen School,” Nelson said. “I look forward to the opportunity to network with other educators from across the country to develop powerful learning experiences for future teachers that focus on innovation and leadership.”
The Illinois-based Coleman Foundation supports awareness and promotion of self-employment through entrepreneurship education programs that help create a new generation of business owners. One way this goal is accomplished is through these faculty fellowships. During the 2015-16 year, more than 160 Coleman Fellows will create or modify courses to incorporate self-employment education, or engage in related activities.
For more information, contact Dr. Timothy Stearns at 559.278.3735 or timothys@csufresno.edu.
