"Introduction to Entrepreneurship" teaches the ins and outs of the cutthroat world of small-business ownership.
"It's risk, it's rewards," said James Corman, business professor and entrepreneur. "The class is not designed to teach everything they need to know, but teach them some appreciation."
Corman said he is a businessman who happens to be teaching a class.
He said he likes to think he brings something different than what a trained professional would, and that he has a real passion for entrepreneurship.
"Hopefully, students will leave the course excited about starting their own company or scared to death from knowing the risks and stress with being an entrepreneur," Corman said. "I think I've done my job if I do either one."
Many students in the class are in a business-related major.
Corman said several other students in the class hope to own a small business in the future.
"It has become a fairly popular elective for students," Corman said.
Corman uses a textbook to teach, but also brings his 35 years of real-world experience and observation as an entrepreneur.
"Students in this class have the potential to impact society, create wealth and create jobs," Corman said.
Elizabeth Gaylor, senior in business administration, said Corman puts many things into a real-world perspective.
She said it's an interactive class.
"He tells us what he has actually done to start businesses and how they've worked out," Gaylor said.
For many of the students, the class is the first on the way to more in-depth business and management classes.
"It was an available elective that counted toward my major," said James Wesley, senior in human resource management.
Wesley said he always wanted to own his own business, regardless of the risks and stress.
"It may be smarter to just climb the corporate ladder," Wesley said.
Gaylor said she would eventually like to own a store.
The class invited a speaker last Thursday to talk about the rewards and risks of the field.
Mark Forchette, president and CEO of OptiMedica, a Silicon Valley-based global ophthalmic device company, spoke about the way to market a product to sponsors and get the capital to produce more of the product.
He advised the students to prepare, practice a pitch of the product and perform many dress rehearsals.
"I'll end my speech with one of my favorite sayings: prepare, prepare, prepare," Forchette said.
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