USASBE Announces 2025 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Award Winners
Iona University, Texas Christian University, Miami University, Indiana University, Lafayette College Dyer Center for Innovation+Entrepreneurship, Northern Kentucky University, and University of St. Thomas honored at national level
LAS VEGAS, NV - The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) announced the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Award recipients on February 15 as part of the USASBE 2025: Fortune Favors the Bold annual conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The USASBE conference is a platform for outstanding entrepreneurship programs from across the country to share the best there is in educating the future leaders in business, philanthropy, and the arts,” said Shorouq Almallah, board chair of USASBE and director for the Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Grand Valley State University.
As USASBE’s top program honors, the USASBE Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Awards recognize bold and innovative programs making an impact in the field of entrepreneurship education. The Model Programs (large and small institutions) and Model Emerging Program Awards honor colleges and universities with comprehensive, high-quality educational programs that successfully train future generations of entrepreneurs. The Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation and Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation Awards recognize institutions with creative, high-quality, sustainable, and impactful courses and co-curricular programs in entrepreneurship education. The Model University Accelerator/Incubator and Model Community Accelerator/Incubator Awards recognize collegiate and community programs that help young entrepreneurs develop their ideas into viable and even scalable businesses.
“Each year the competition increases for these annual awards,” said Krystal Geyer, 2025 Awards Chair. “Even after a meticulous review of each program, deciding which should be awarded was extremely difficult with so many incredible applicants.”
Recipients of this year’s awards were:
- Model Program Award-Small Institution: Iona University Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Model Program Award-Large Institution: Texas Christian University Entrepreneurship Program
- Model Emerging Program Award: Center for L.I.F.E. (Leading the Integration of Faith & Entrepreneurship) at Miami University
- Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Award: Silicon Valley Venture Challenge at Indiana University
- Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation Award: DYER Fellowship Program at the Lafayette College Dyer Center for Innovation+Entrepreneurship
- Model University Accelerator/Incubator Award: The INKUBATOR at Northern Kentucky University
- Model Community Accelerator/Incubator Award: The Community Entrepreneurship Program at the University of St. Thomas
“Coming together to celebrate these award winners, all of the finalists and the amazing work that goes on throughout the year is an inspiring reminder of why we do the work that we do,” said Jennifer Capps, interim CEO of USASBE. “USASBE is proud to be a part of creating the leaders, problem solvers and innovators of tomorrow.”
Mark your calendars for the 2026 USASBE conference, tentatively planned for February 18-21, 2026, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
About USASBE
Founded in 1981, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) is an inclusive community of educators, researchers, and entrepreneurs advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship, and practice. Membership is open to all, as is attendance at USASBE’s hallmark annual conference. USASBE also publishes a peer-reviewed academic journal, Entrepreneurship Education & Pedagogy, and develops a variety of helpful resources and professional development opportunities for entrepreneurship educators as they create necessary change and positive impact. For more information, visit USASBE.org
Contact
Grayson Wolff
gwolff at usasbe dot org
708-462-2332