ABOUT US

Here, our mission is simple. Learn how to learn. Learn how to make money. Learn how to live a life of meaning.

The Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship is committed to providing classes, competitions, and events which teach and encourage entrepreneurship. Students enhance their ability to be leaders while learning both business and social entrepreneurial skills. Classes are open to all students regardless of class or major.

By taking entrepreneurial classes and participating in the competitions and events, committed students have the opportunity to earn the Certificate of Entrepreneurship which is included on their permanent BYU-Hawaii transcript. More importantly, entrepreneur students graduate and return to their home countries with an enlarged vision of what they can accomplish. By participating in the certificate students develop courage, confidence, and practical entrepreneurial skills.

The Willes Center is unique on the BYU-Hawaii campus. We have academic classes on leadership and how to prepare to set up a business, but that is not what makes us special. We offer the advantage of having all our classes taught be highly successful entrepreneurs who have been through the process of owning multiple businesses. These faculty members teach and train, mentor and coach our students as the students learn to believe in themselves and refine their business ideas. Because we have so many international students, and their visas prohibit starting a business in the US during their time here, we have started to collect information from various countries in the Pacific and Asia on what is required to open a business in their own country.

Our faculty can coach them through the process of preparing their ideas and business plans so that when they graduate and return home they are better prepared to create their own jobs. We believe this fills an important role in the university’s mission of creating leaders in the Church, Home, and Country, no matter what country that is. Learn more about how to start a business in our target area. The Certificate of Entrepreneurship is awarded to those students who have taken all the core entrepreneur classes and have participated in at least two conferences, one of which includes presenting a business plan. These certificates are generally awarded when the student graduates. Click the link in this paragraph to see the requirements for the certificate.