The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication is proud of its participation with the Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute – a multidisciplinary program creating alliances between engineering, business, and communications. The Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute is made up of junior- and senior-level engineering, communication or business students who are interested in technological entrepreneurship. The program aims to give students the tools and experiences they need to pursue their ideas.
Learn more about the current cohort of Harold Frank Scholars and their experiences in the program.
Murrow students currently in their sophomore year are eligible to apply for scholarships in the Harold Frank Scholars program. Two Murrow students will receive $2,500 and participate in funded business tours in Seattle and Silicon Valley, California. This program offers a rare opportunity matching students from engineering, business, finance, and communications majors to work together and develop business ideas throughout their junior and senior years at WSU. Want to meet and learn from innovators at businesses like Lockheed Martin, Pebble, Google, TiVo, or startup incubators like Lemnos Labs? WSU alumni and entrepreneurs at these companies and more are willing to share their insights on how to build up new ideas into startup companies and beyond. This kind of academic experience gets noticed by potential employers, particularly those in high-tech and fast-growth industries.
The program is challenging and rigorous as students meet each semester in an upper division entrepreneurship course led by Dr. Howard Davis, director of the College of Engineering and Architecture Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute. In addition to meeting for class twice each week, student teams spend 10-15 hours per week meeting outside of the classroom for research, presentation preparation and participating in “resource nights” with industry leaders and professionals.
In the summer students travel to the San Francisco Bay Area to engage with industry leaders in technology and business with an emphasis in start-ups and entrepreneurial endeavors. They can also apply for a summer internship in California with a partner organization where they can exercise new skills and gain real-world experience. At the close of the experience, all student teams participate in a Business Plan Competition sponsored by the College of Business and judged by external referees.
Qualifications
- Certified in The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
- Junior standing in the fall of application year
- 3.0 GPA that must be maintained throughout the scholarship
- Enrollment in ENTR 486 Launching New Ventures in the Spring semester and ENGR 401 Tech Ventures in Fall and Spring semesters
- Capacity for team project work and research assignments outside of class time
- Commitment to attend the week-long Summer Program right before senior year where students spend a week learning a variety of skills for a firm foundation in entrepreneurship
- Capacity and willingness to travel for 10+ days in May after junior year for tours in Seattle and California
- Willingness to pursue and fulfill a 12-week internship
Application Process
Information about the application process for the next cohort will be posted at the beginning of the fall semester. Applications are due in the 4th week of September.
Send your questions to the Murrow Faculty Advisor, Justin Barnes.