Tufts Blogs

When I was in high school, I knew I wanted to start my own venture one day. I was also drawn to leadership, but I wasn’t sure how to develop these interests in a meaningful way. Coming to college, I knew I wanted to dive into both, but I didn't quite know how to approach it. Fortunately, Tufts offered me more than just traditional academic experiences—it provided me with opportunities to explore my passions in entrepreneurship and leadership through a blend of classes and extracurriculars.

When I came to Tufts, I started heard a lot about this class called ‘Entrepreneurial Leadership’ (ENT 107), taught by Professor Beth McCarthy. Everyone who had taken the class spoke about how it instilled confidence and helped shape them into leaders, whether in their clubs or other areas of life. I immediately felt drawn to it and registered for it. Taking that class turned out to be a defining moment for me. It didn’t just teach me about entrepreneurship, it fundamentally shifted my perspective on leadership and my own potential and how I can bring out the best in people around me. That experience is what introduced me to the Entrepreneurship minor, which seemed like the perfect complement to my academic goals and personal interests and is part of the Tufts Derby Entrepreneurship Center.

What I found exciting about the minor was how well it aligned with both my love for practical, hands-on learning and my broader interests in business. Prior to discovering the minor, I felt torn between different academic passions—entrepreneurship, finance, economics, social impact—and wasn’t sure how to merge all of them. I loved discussion-based seminars in economics, but I also craved the real-world applications that entrepreneurial courses offered. The Entrepreneurship minor allowed me to bring these seemingly different threads together in a meaningful way.

As I progressed through the minor, I had the chance to apply what I was in the classroom beyond the classroom. One of the highlights was becoming a Classroom Operating Officer (essentially a Teaching Assistant) for ENT 107, where I worked closely with Professor McCarthy and the students. This role gave me insights into leadership from an educator’s perspective, but it also pushed me to think critically about how to guide others through their own entrepreneurial journeys and how to help them figure out their ‘why’. It was a rewarding challenge that made me more confident in my ability to lead, mentor, and work within teams. Apart from that, I am also working as a student researcher and intern with the Derby Entrepreneurship Center (DEC). Through this role, I interviewed Tufts alumni about their entrepreneurial journeys, supported the Tufts 100K competition, and learned more about entrepreneurship programming at Tufts. I don’t think I would have gotten these opportunities without that first step—taking entrepreneurship classes, building strong relationships with my professors, and letting them open doors I hadn’t even known existed.

What makes the Entrepreneurship minor stand out is how inclusive and holistic it is. It’s designed for students from all academic backgrounds, so you’re constantly collaborating with people who bring diverse perspectives to the table. I’ve worked with peers majoring in everything from engineering to art, and each time, our varied skill sets and ways of thinking have enhanced our projects. This diversity is one of my favorite aspects of the minor—it’s proof that entrepreneurship isn’t just about business; it’s about creativity, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The minor itself is structured with a great balance of core requirements and electives, allowing students to tailor it to their own interests and goals. It includes one foundational course (ENT 107), 6 credits worth of core courses, and 6 credits of electives from a wide range of options. The flexibility of the curriculum means you can focus on what excites you most, whether it’s business planning, social entrepreneurship or integrating art and entrepreneurship to name a few of the many options available.

Looking back, I realize how much my academic experience at Tufts has been shaped by this minor. It hasn’t just equipped me with entrepreneurial and leadership skills—it’s given me a community of like-minded people, opportunities to grow outside of my comfort zone, and a deep sense of purpose in what I want to achieve moving forward. I’ve learned that entrepreneurship is less about the idea itself and more about how you lead, how you bring people together, and how you build something that makes an impact. And thanks to the DEC, I feel ready to take that next step.