Focusing on entrepreneurship as a mindset, the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at Mars Hill University is leveraging unique approaches to support its students, according to Director Sabrina Delk. Classes focus on a variety of aspects including new venture startup, strategy, and coaching, with an overarching focus on facilitating skill development which will be instrumental in graduates’ success.  

"Entrepreneurship isn't just about starting a business; it's a mindset that fosters creativity, innovation, and resilience,” Delk said. "By integrating entrepreneurship into our curriculum and co-curricular activities, we're equipping students with the skills they need to succeed in any endeavor, whether they decide to become a small business owner in Western North Carolina or go out and work for a Fortune 500 company.”  

James Heinl joined MHU in 2022, bringing his own entrepreneurial skills to teaching in the University’s business department. Now the Executive Director of Mars Hill University's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and working closely with Delk, Heinl is helping to build the entrepreneurship program as well as a business partnership network to help provide mentorship opportunities for the program’s students.  

Heinl attended a Demo Day event hosted by Venture Asheville and he found himself captivated by Andy Bobowski's presentation on mentorship, a cornerstone of the Backrs platform, and knew immediately that it could revolutionize how Mars Hill supports its students. 

"At Mars Hill, we believe in offering co-curricular mentorship as one of the four most critical elements of our program," Heinl said. "However, with our student numbers growing rapidly, finding individual mentors for each student became a challenge. That's where Backrs came in." 

Backrs, co-founded by Bobowski, offers a scalable solution to mentorship, particularly beneficial for universities like Mars Hill with diverse student populations including many first-generation and Pell-eligible students. Mars Hill became the first official university collaboration with the platform, allowing students to gain access to mentors who provide not only social support but also financial capital that may have been previously unavailable to them.  

"We're not just a small liberal arts institution; we're an enabler university,” Heinl said. "We attract students from various backgrounds and walks of life, and Backrs aligns perfectly with our mission to provide equal mentorship opportunities for everyone."  

Delk said the entrepreneurship program invests $100 per student who is engaged with their mentors, and they are eligible for up to $500 in financial capital. Students have the ability to allocate their funds as needed, from paying for their meal plans to purchasing business attire for interviews, and students are already seeing positive outcomes.  

"We're already seeing progress in the fourth month of participation,” Delk said. "Despite being in the early stages, with just 10 students enrolled, we're witnessing tangible results. From connecting students with local businesses for networking purposes to improving student wellness or meeting other goals, the program and the Backrs partnership are making an impact.”  

Looking ahead, Delk and Heinl envision expanding the program to accommodate more students and increase alumni involvement. A large number of area businesses are already reaching out eager to build partner relationships with the entrepreneurial and mentorship programs at MHU. 

 "Our goal is to have all 1,000 students at Mars Hill engaged with Backrs," Heinl said. "It's not just about mentorship; it's about empowering our students to thrive in their communities, whether they choose to start their own businesses or pursue other career paths."  

The program highlights many exciting business opportunities in the region by partnering students with local mentors and facilitating networking opportunities. This benefit is one means of attracting more students to the University and helping them find careers here in WNC, which Delk said is a means of placemaking, economic development, and community building.

“Placing students in jobs in our surrounding counties rather than having them go to where they think things may be bigger and brighter is our goal,” Heinl said. “We’ve got some big and bright things right here, and we’re helping connect students to those things.”

Sabrina Delk and James Heinl lead the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at Mars Hill University. Learn more at MHU.edu/Academics/Majors-and-Minors/Business-Administration/Entrepreneurial-Leadership/.