NORMAN – Entrepreneurship students at the University of Oklahoma have completed semester-long internships at eight Oklahoma start-up companies affiliated with i2E, Inc.
The 16 interns were enrolled in the OU course, Career Paths in Entrepreneurship, taught by the dean and Fred E. Brown Chair of the Price College of Business, Daniel Pullin. Through a partnership with i2E, a not-for-profit focused on growing Oklahoma businesses, the students were placed with young companies around the Oklahoma City area.
The companies ranged from concept-phase to later-stage companies with established products. The hosting companies found the students engaging and eager to learn beyond the classroom environment. “Both [interns] were very eager to learn and jump into projects during their internship,” said Molly K. Allis, marketing director of WeGoLook in Oklahoma City. Students assisted companies with everything from sales and marketing to product development and market analysis.
The students similarly cited the success of the program through their experience in hectic start-up environments, and the mentorship they received from company leaders and entrepreneurs. Haley Ennis, an OU entrepreneurship and marketing student who interned at WeGoLook, said “interning at WeGoLook was one of the best experiences I’ve had as an OU student.”
“In many respects, this program was long overdue,” said Dean Pullin of the first-time program. “The dynamic client portfolio of i2E represents compelling opportunities for OU business students to learn from and contribute to the efforts of Oklahoma’s top entrepreneurs. As Price College works tirelessly to ensure the enduring global competitiveness of Oklahoma, our partnership with i2E helps us better prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our state and nation need. We are already making plans to get started on a new OU-i2E internship class for 2015.”
Scott Meacham, president and CEO of i2E, added his support. “We need more entrepreneurs and more entrepreneurial thinking in Oklahoma,” Meacham said. “This is a great program because it benefits the students by giving them a real-world opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom. It also helps the start-up company by giving it the benefit of the hands-on assistance of some of our state’s brightest young minds.”
Any inquiries about the program or i2E should be directed to i2e_comments@i2e.org.
