At Vassar, we envision entrepreneurship and innovation in the broadest sense: the formulation of a vision, venture, or mindset that identifies an opportunity and contributes a creative and valuable solution.
Entrepreneurship is, at its core, a mindset—a way of thinking and acting that challenges the status quo, questions assumptions, and seeks meaningful change. It is about seeing opportunities where others see obstacles, and having the resilience, resourcefulness, and ethical responsibility to turn ideas into action.
The Vassar Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VIE) Program translates this philosophy into a structured, experiential learning model that moves students from early ideas to tested, well-articulated ventures. Rather than treating entrepreneurship as a single course or competition, we provide a variety of scaffolded experiences focused on problem discovery, solution development, critical thinking, and iterative learning through sustained project work.
Scaffolding the Venture Development Process
Our programming follows a progressive development model, supporting students at different stages in the venture development process. Each experience builds directly on the last, allowing students to deepen conceptual understanding and practical execution as well as engage (or disengage) as needed for their respective entrepreneurial journeys.
Some students arrive with a clear idea they are eager to pursue, while others begin by exploring interests, experiences, and challenges to identify meaningful opportunities. We support both pathways, and help students uncover root problems, clarify the needs they aim to address, and refine early concepts into thoughtful, well-defined ventures that can continue to evolve through structured learning and iteration.
Robust Advising and Relationship-Building
Throughout the venture development process, students regularly connect with both a Program Consultant and alum or industry experts.
Our Program Consultants provide structured, program-embedded support, offering feedback on deliverables, helping refine ideas, connecting students to relevant campus resources, and ensuring steady progress across each venture development stage.
In partnership with the Office of Advancement and Center for Career Education, our program also connects students with a myriad of alums, faculty, and industry experts. We help foster these connections to support our participants’ entrepreneurial journey, and even provide opportunities to meet potential investors. Students then independently build and lead these relationships with alums or industry experts, engaging them as a sounding board and an external, real-world perspective.
Together, this structure provides consistent support while reinforcing student initiative, independence, and ownership of their work.
Accessible and Applied Programming
All of our programming centers the experiential learning process, whether that involves advancing a student’s own idea or participating in simulated venture development experiences intentionally designed to be engaging and accessible to all.
Students learn through hands-on research, structured problem-solving, iterative design, and public communication of ideas. Simulated experiences allow students who may not yet have a specific venture concept to practice entrepreneurial thinking in low-risk, high-engagement environments, while student-led projects provide deeper opportunities for sustained development and real-world application. By blending both approaches, we ensure that entrepreneurship education is inclusive, practical, and relevant regardless of a student’s background, discipline, or prior experience.