Clark University charters entrepreneurial honor society

Clark University has established a Sigma Nu Tau chapter, the only national honor society dedicated solely to entrepreneurship.

The mission of Sigma Nu Tau is “to promote, recognize, honor, and reward academic excellence in entrepreneurship and to encourage and recognize the practice of principled entrepreneurship.”

Teresa Quinn, manager of the School of Business’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation (E&I) program, said the new chapter is an exciting new honor and among just a handful across the state of Massachusetts.

“Establishing the Sigma Nu Tau chapter is a perfect next step in the growth of our entrepreneurship program,” Quinn stated. “It’s a testament to the support we receive from Clark University and the School of Business and of course to our impressive, entrepreneurial students.”

In fact, Quinn credits one of her entrepreneurial students for helping get the Sigma Nu Tau honor society started. Undergraduate senior and E&I Program Intern, Jose Castro, who will be an honorary guest at the inaugural induction, did the research and convinced Quinn that the two of them could get the honor society created. Castro made the initial contact with executive director of Sigma Nu Tau, helped prepare the application, and identified E&I’s induction parameters.

“If it weren’t for Jose, I’m not sure this would have happened,” she states, admitting that the time required to get the chapter started was daunting for her, on top of her regular responsibilities as E&I program manager and professor. “Despite knowing that he would not make the grade to be inducted himself, Jose felt this was his way of giving back and initiating a legacy.”

Clark students Martina Villanueva, Melanie Adams, Derek Jones, Andrew Pimental, Sophie Phelan, and Alyosha Otogawa were the chapter’s first members, inducted in a ceremony on May 12 on campus. All students are minoring in entrepreneurship (there is currently not entrepreneurship major at Clark), have earned a 3.6 or higher grade point average, and shown   evidence of strong entrepreneurial spirit. Each will have a lifelong membership to the honor society, paid for by Clark, as well as enjoy members-only networking events. Faculty advisors for the honor society will be Quinn and entrepreneurship faculty member, Stacie Hargis.

Nancy Church, Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society founder and executive director, was on hand to “induct” the full chapter, as well as meet and congratulate the new members. There was also an awards ceremony as part of the evening to recognize the outstanding achievement of select students in the E&I program, including the Entrepreneur of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Up and Coming Entrepreneur of the Year, and the E&I Department Award.

Clark alumna and entrepreneur Christina Bai, also a Clark Tank competition judge and funding donor, was the guest speaker.

“We are thrilled to be able to more formally recognize the academic excellence of our outstanding student entrepreneurs through Sigma Nu Tau,” Quinn added. “I can’t wait to see them proudly wearing their Sigma Nu Tau graduation cords at commencement. They’ve earned them!”