Idea Lab

The Idea Lab at Wheaton

Wheaton helps students become change makers, putting ideas into action to improve the world and as a way to learn about leadership, networking and crafting their personal brand.

The Idea Lab is Wheaton’s center for social entrepreneurship activities on campus and offers a range of programs, partnerships and resources that are designed to help students develop their ideas for helping others and the skills to realize their vision.

SE Launch Program

The Social Entrepreneurship Launch Program is a semester-long opportunity for students dedicate
themselves to learning the skills and strategies necessary to launch their own businesses. The SE Launch
Program is made up of three components:

• Social Venture Boot Camp, offered during the January break, is where students learn how to define their passion and develop their business idea
• Spring Semester Program, students continue to meet in a series of workshops designed to guide them from ideas to actions in order to move their plans forward
• SE Launch Day, an opportunity to pitch your idea to an audience of family, friends, and Wheaton community members – the culminating moment after months of hard work!

Students must apply to be accepted into the SE Launch Program and are selected based on their willingness to work on developing an entrepreneurial mindset and their passion for creating social change. Students who successfully complete all three components of the program will receive a $500 business start-up stipend. Students who successfully complete all three components of the
program will receive a $500 business start-up stipend.

Student Pitch Competition

The Student Pitch Competition is a highly visible opportunity to showcase the diversity of social ideas and solutions across the Wheaton community. Through this event, students have the opportunity to practice their presentation skills and persuasiveness. Students have three minutes to present their creative solutions to their peers and a group of judges composed of Wheaton staff, alums and experts in the field of social entrepreneurship. Participants compete for cash prizes and receive feedback on their pitches.

Student Business Showcase

The Student Business Showcase is offered once per semester as a way to bring awareness about entrepreneurship to the Wheaton community. This event affords students the opportunity to gain insight into the viability of their business by sharing it with others. With the assistance of workshops and mentoring, students prepare marketing displays that illustrate their business concepts. They have the opportunity to get feedback, conduct market research and sell their goods and services in a real-life sales environment.

The John and Kendra Malloy Social Venture Scholars (SVS) internship program

The Malloy SVS internship program places rising sophomore, junior, and senior students in summer internships with entrepreneurial ventures having a social impact in Providence, RI.

In partnership with Social Enterprise Greenhouse,  the program gives Wheaton students an opportunity to gain work experience in a startup/social enterprise environment while receiving mentorship and support from their host-supervisors and build skills in different areas of expertise.

Other Programs

There are many other opportunities throughout the year for students to develop their business ideas and skills. Located in the basement of the Doll’s House, The Idea Lab is home to a plethora of programs.

Some of the programs previously offered include:

• Personal branding workshop
• Salary negotiation workshop
• SE Launch program reunion lunches
• Internship funding and professional development opportunities
• “Pitch Practice, Pitch Perfect” coaching
• Marketing Your Student Business workshop
• Ashoka U Exchange Conference in Boston
• Field trip to Social Entrepreneurship Greenhouse in Providence, R.I.