Spelpreneur is a co-curricular education initiative that fosters entrepreneurship and innovation at Spelman College. Spelpreneur educates, inspires, and empowers students. It is opened to all current Spelman students. In 2023-2024, Spelpreneur will offer two (2) programs:
Are you curious about entrepreneurship?
Are you a student entrepreneur in the early stages of your business development?
Do you need some business tips to run and grow your side hustle/business?
Did you know that an entrepreneurial mindset is applied in various work organizations?
Spelman College students, Spelpreneur is for YOU!
Chelsea Mendes, C’2025, is a political science major on the pre-law track from Orlando, Florida. Raised by two social entrepreneurs, she says she witnessed firsthand how their dedication to their passion and talents positively impacted both themselves and their community. She cites their commitment to their craft as a major contributor to her own passion for entrepreneurship.
Following graduation from Spelman and law school, Mendes plans to launch an entertainment boutique firm. Following a mentor’s suggestion, she organized the inaugural Collegiate Intellectual Property Symposium in collaboration with the Morehouse Spelman Pre-Law Society. The event aims to educate aspiring artists and athletes interested in protecting their brand, and those interested in sports business or entertainment law. The symposium is an expansion of the idea she formulated as a Spelpreneur participant.
Lauren Thompson, C’2027, is a documentary filmmaking major and entrepreneurship minor from Silver Spring, Maryland, with a passion for entrepreneurship and innovation. Thompson says entrepreneurship allows her to have a creative outlet to express herself and give back to her community.
As a Spelpreneur participant, she has learned the important lessons and problem-solving skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur. She plans to create a networking site that further connects college students and high school seniors in an effort to aid in their college selection process and increase college preparedness. Through Spelpreneur, she gained access to a web of entrepreneurs who she could rely on for support and guidance, and she developed the confidence and reassurance she needed to continue with her entrepreneurship journey.
As a result of participating in Spelpreneur, Thompson says her next steps toward entrepreneurship are to begin the market research for her business, which includes reaching out to college and career readiness resources to confirm demand for her proposed product.