“Students come to find out that entrepreneurship is more than a cool business idea; it’s about creating value where there was no value before.” USASBE Member Spotlight: Jay Fulgencio
Jay Fulgencio is an Adjunct Instructor in the Heller College of Business, Organizational Leadership at Roosevelt University and USASBE Online Entrepreneurship Education SIG Chair.
How did you get into entrepreneurship education? What was your path?
My path to teaching entrepreneurship is not traditional in any sense.
I started my entrepreneurship education path when I was pursuing my M.S. in Entrepreneurship from Oklahoma State University. I had the opportunity to attend the Experiential Classroom, and from there, I wanted further pursue teaching entrepreneurship education. My first entrepreneurship teaching experience was to 8th graders at Union Public Schools in Tulsa, OK, for the Carrera Program. After leaving that role, I started teaching entrepreneurship to undergraduates and graduate students, both online and face to face. I’ve taught entrepreneurship, business & technology, introduction to business, business plan, and creativity courses throughout my teaching. I learned how to teach entrepreneurship through experiences such as Experiential Classroom, my own experiences with startups, industry experience in education, private, and non-profit, USASBE Teaching and Learning scholar experience, and trial and error.
What is your favorite class to teach and why?
I don’t have a favorite class to teach, but the introduction to entrepreneurship course would be my favorite if I had to pick one. At times students come under the belief that entrepreneurship is a glamorous topic where you come up with a business idea, and consumers will automatically buy. Students come to find out that entrepreneurship is more than a cool business idea; it’s about creating value where there was no value before. I also try to get students to understand that failure is part of the process.
You are the Chair of the USASBE Online Entrepreneurship SIG. Can you tell us how you brought this SIG to fruition?
Being Chair of the Online Entrepreneurship Education SIG came from asking and my teaching experiences. After a USASBE townhall meeting several months ago, I emailed Julie Shields to follow up on the SIG, asking if there was an opportunity to be part of the SIG leadership team. After our initial conversation telling Julie about my experiences, I was offered the Chair’s role. Julie helped provide a list of USASBE members that showed interest in the Online Entrepreneurship Education SIG. After several meetings and events, we are now at 55 members and counting.
How has membership in USASBE benefited you?
Membership in USASBE has been excellent. I am networking with colleagues from all across the U.S., and I am gaining experiences that I didn’t think were possible for a non-tenure-track instructor. I also learned about the Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile, which I can say I am now a Certified Practioner of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile. Since being part of USASBE, I’ve had the experience of completing the USASBE Teaching and Learning Scholars program and now Chair of the Online Entrepreneurship Education SIG.
Describe a time when you have had to be nimble or quick on your feet. How did this impact your way of thinking?
As I mentioned in the first question, teaching entrepreneurship to 8th graders made me quick on my feet. One thing I’ve learned is that 8th graders will tell you right away that they find the material boring. That is why the experience I had with 8th graders taught me to be quick on feet. Experiences in startups have also helped me be quick on my feet.
What has been a pivotal moment in your career?
The pivotal moment in my career was when I had to shut down my first startup, Oye Help Me series. The series was a college resource for young Hispanics to help them get into college and graduate. After many attempts to gain traction, build a customer base, and build positive cash flow, I pulled the plug. The experiences I had with Oye Help Me helped shape my teaching skills by giving students real-life examples of does and dont’s in entrepreneurship.
We like to end these on a fun note. Can you share a fun fact about yourself? Something that makes you unique?
If I could live off Chicago style pizza, Chicago hot dogs, authentic Mexican food, and smoothies without gaining weight and running into health problems, I would.
