Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity
The challenges of our world require bold, creative solutions. The Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity (CEIC) helps you transform your passions, ideas and ideals into action through the lenses of ideation, design thinking and social entrepreneurship. If you envision a career in for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations or government, you can optimize what you learn in the classroom through the CEIC’s programs. Collaborating across disciplines, the CEIC supports Earlham’s mission to change the world for good by encouraging ingenuity and preparing you for a rewarding and meaningful career.
Current students
Find more information about Earlham resources
Interdisciplinary innovation
Engaging with the CEIC means meeting and collaborating with students and faculty from across the college. While aligned with the business program, the CEIC is also opening opportunities for students in the visual and performing arts and humanities.
Create real change
Do you have a plan for an enterprise just waiting to be launched? New ventures and projects need critical thinking and informed vision. The CEIC will help you learn to identify the strengths and challenges of a plan and to make it a reality—and our project competitions offer the chance to win prizes toward launching your venture.
Learn to lead
Develop your leadership and communication skills through participation in Earlham’s chapter of Net Impact, a variety of campus workshops and guest lectures, or the chance to develop and launch your own comprehensive project plan.
Related major / minor
CEIC receives award for diversity in education
Insight into Diversity magazine has named the CEIC a recipient of the 2024 Inspiring Programs in Business Award.
Moving passions, ideas and ideals from theory to practice
For students, faculty and community partners, the CEIC is a high-impact and high visibility program. Collaborative learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom provide a cohesive and coherent education experience to help you prepare for a rewarding and meaningful career.
For example, throughout the last five years, students have won more than $100,000 through CEIC competitions, and in 2016 Earlham’s student team won the international $1 million Hult Prize.
Stories of Success
For decades Earlham alumni entrepreneurs have impacted our world for good. Those who have graduated just since 2010 have founded 35 startups and raised $4 million in capital.
Become the CEIC’s next success story
The CEIC provides a platform for internal and external integrative collaborations—challenges and opportunities for you to get involved, compete and become a catalyst for good.
Students in this six-day summer intensive seminar are guided through development of a variety of skills: leadership and teamwork, design strategy, marketing, finance, project development and presentation. Guest presenters and one-on-one mentorship are highlights. All students are welcome!
Learn more about the Earlham-Levinson Entrepreneurial Leadership Boot Camp →
Funded by generous alumni, this business plan competition challenges student teams to address food insecurity and warming centers for the homeless in Richmond, Indiana. Teams present their project proposals in several phases, with the chance to win monetary awards at each level.
Learn more about the Earlham & Dimick Eastman Grand Challenge →
Student groups are engaging in national programs showcasing the humanities with the support of the CEIC.
Earlham’s chapter of Net Impact engages students in leadership development and creative thinking through a lens of social entrepreneurship through a variety of co-curricular events and activities, both on and off campus.
One of the world’s most acclaimed entrepreneurship programs, the Hult Prize creates a pathway for students to help build a better world. Earlham teams have competed annually since 2015, and an Earlham team won the top $1 million prize in 2016.
Support the CEIC
Donors and partners
Our donors and community partners enable the CEIC to be a remarkable resource for Earlham. Discover how partnering with us is mutually beneficial.
Opportunities for alumni
Explore ways to impact the lives and education of the next generation of social entrepreneurs at Earlham!
Every dollar counts when creating a life-changing opportunity. Donate today to the Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity to help us offer those opportunities for generations of Earlhamites to come.
CEIC staff and faculty
Keep in touch with our center on Facebook. You can also get to know the faculty and staff that set our students up for success.
Get to know our team ⟶