Learning Opportunities
Integrating Entrepreneurship Across the Curriculum
Entrepreneurship is more than just starting a business—it's a mindset that can be woven into any subject area. Collaborating with faculty, our program provides tailored entrepreneurship modules and support to help teachers integrate entrepreneurial thinking into their lessons. Whether in science, technology, the arts, or any other discipline, we offer ways to make connections between course content and real-world innovation. Together, we’ll create a dynamic learning environment that fosters creativity and initiative across the curriculum.
The Colopy Entrepreneurship Program at NCSSM offers a diverse array of programming designed to ignite creativity, foster leadership, and empower students to turn their ideas into action. From engaging guest speaker events featuring accomplished entrepreneurs to hands-on workshops and immersive classes like our J-Term courses, our programming provides students with unique opportunities to learn, grow, and connect. Explore our current and past offerings to see how we inspire the next generation of innovators and changemakers.
Past Programming
Lunch & Learn: Healthcare Administration
A Conversation About Business & Health Operations
When: March 13th - 11:50am - 12:40pm
Food: Yes! Pizza will be provide
Sign Up Required, Seating Limited
Ever wonder what it takes to run a hospital? Beyond the doctors, nurses, and cutting-edge medicine, a well-oiled healthcare system relies on strong leadership, strategic decision-making, and seamless operations.
Join us for a Lunch & Learn with Steve Finch, Vice President of Acute Care Operations at UNC Medical Center, as he pulls back the curtain on the business of healthcare. With over 22 years of leadership experience, Steve oversees hospitalist programs, rehabilitation services, and clinical laboratories—ensuring hospitals run smoothly and patients receive top-tier care. He has navigated everything from emergency response planning to multimillion-dollar service expansions, tackling the challenges that come with managing one of the most complex industries in the world.
In this session, Steve will share how leaders in healthcare drive innovation, make high-stakes decisions, and balance efficiency with patient care. He’ll discuss the critical role of operations in hospital systems, the evolving landscape of healthcare administration, and what it takes to lead in an environment where every decision can be a matter of life and death.
If you're interested in leadership, business, or healthcare administration, don’t miss this chance to hear from a top executive shaping the future of hospital management.
Guest speaker events are supported by the Broyhill Fund to NCSSM
Lunch & Learn: Doing Good with Ryan O'Donnell
A Conversation on Social Entrepreneurship
When: February 26th - 11:50am - 12:40pm
Food: Yes! Pizza will be provide
Sign Up Required, Seating Limited
Are you the kind of person that wants to change the world? Are you interested in Non-Profit work? Have you ever wondered what a Benefit Corporation is?
Join us for a Lunch & Learn with Ryan O'Donnell, a social entrepreneur and NCSSM alumnus, as he shares his journey of building ventures that create meaningful impact. Ryan has founded multiple startups, including EmployUs, a platform that democratized job referrals, and Sunlight, a company using technology for social good. His commitment to leveraging innovation for change began at NCSSM, where he led a Guinness World Record-breaking food drive, collecting over 550,000 pounds of food in just 18 hours.
Ryan was a guest speaker in our Social Good class, where he inspired students with his approach to blending business and impact. In this session, he’ll dive deeper into the challenges and opportunities of social entrepreneurship, the process of building mission-driven startups, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Whether you're passionate about nonprofit work, impact-driven businesses, or simply curious about how entrepreneurs can drive change, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Guest speaker events are supported by the Broyhill Fund to NCSSM
Lunch & Learn: Carson Jackson - DuraVax Inc.
A Case Study on Research Translation
When: February 11th - 11:50am - 12:40pm
Food: Yes! Pizza will be provide
Sign Up Required, Seating Limited
Join us for a Lunch & Learn with Carson Jackson, co-founder of DuraVax Inc., a biotech startup tackling one of the biggest challenges in global health—mRNA vaccine stability. As a near-peer entrepreneur, Carson is navigating the startup world while still in college, balancing scientific research, funding, and commercialization.
An Honors Scholar at UNCW, Carson helped launch DuraVax through research in The Wang Lab, co-authoring a pending patent on vaccine stabilization. His team secured a $274,991 NSF Small Business Technology Transfer grant, a key step in translating lab research into a viable product. He’ll share how DuraVax moved from concept to funded startup, the challenges of securing early capital, and the realities of bringing biotech innovations to market.
This is a chance to hear firsthand about the transition from student to entrepreneur, lessons in leadership and pitching, and how near-peer mentorship can shape the startup journey. Whether you're working on your own ideas or just curious about entrepreneurship, don’t miss this opportunity to learn from someone just a few steps ahead.
Guest speaker events are supported by the Broyhill Fund to NCSSM
SMathHacks: Innovate, Build, and Launch
When: February 8th - 9th
Resgistration Cap Reached
SMathHacks, NCSSM’s annual 36-hour hackathon, invites North Carolina students to collaborate, explore new technologies, and build innovative software projects. Supported by the Colopy Entrepreneurship Program, this event goes beyond the hackathon experience by offering students the opportunity to take their projects further. Through mentorship, workshops, and grants provided by the Colopy Program, participants can continue developing their ideas into impactful ventures. With both in-person participation on NCSSM’s Durham and Morganton campuses and virtual options via Zoom, SMathHacks is beginner-friendly and provides resources to support students of all experience levels as they innovate, create, and launch.
Non-Profit & Social Good J-Term
Discover how to turn passion into purpose with this dynamic J-Term course on nonprofits and social impact. Designed for aspiring changemakers, the program dives into nonprofit formation, governance, and financial strategies while exploring the ethical and operational challenges of driving social good. With interactive workshops, simulations, and guest speakers, students gain real-world experience in building and sustaining impactful organizations. Whether it’s starting a nonprofit or advancing a cause, this course equips students with the skills and inspiration to create meaningful change in their communities and beyond.
Med Tech & Pham Tech Entrepreneurship
Scott Ogle
The Colopy Entrepreneurship Program at NCSSM-Durham recently hosted its inaugural speaker event, featuring Scott Ogle, a 1993 NCSSM alum and CEO of life sciences technology company TruLab, Inc. During an engaging discussion, Ogle shared his entrepreneurial journey and insights with 13 students, answering their thoughtful questions and emphasizing the importance of taking risks and learning humility early in life.
The event, organized by students in the program, showcased the initiative’s commitment to fostering leadership and creativity. Led by junior Julianna Jones, the session also highlighted the program's diversity, with an all-female audience reflecting NCSSM’s inclusive approach to entrepreneurship. Students left inspired by Ogle's advice and the opportunity to connect with a successful entrepreneur.
