The University of Baltimore
Ratcliffe Entrepreneurship Fellows Program
The University of Baltimore
Ratcliffe Entrepreneurship Fellows Program
Knowledge That Works for Entrepreneurship
Emily Kim, Cohort 1 Ratcliffe Fellow
About Us
The Entrepreneurship Fellows Program at The University of Baltimore offers a new way to educate the next generation of entrepreneurs. The program balances classroom theory with periods of practical, hands-on experience, prior to graduation. Through the Fellows Program, students are able to engage in an alternative academic study—gaining practical experience by working side-by-side with expert entrepreneurs and faculty.
Thanks to the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, these student entrepreneurs are able to fully fund four semesters of their education (and some other living expenses) while developing their business.
The scholarship is a key element for the program’s success. The Ratcliffe Fellows, or “E-Fellows,” as we sometimes call them, are expected to launch a new venture on or before graduation. Allowing our students to focus on building their ventures and not worrying about funding their education provides another layer of support for their success.
The Entrepreneurship Fellows Program will consist of three elements that research indicates are significantly more likely to produce graduates who will become expert entrepreneurs. These elements are:
- rigorous and distinctive admissions standards;
- apprenticeship with gazelles (rapidly growing new ventures); and
- intensive, complementary instruction utilizing the tutorial model.
We are now recruiting for the Fall 2021 enter cohort. Visit our website for more information.
Featured Videos
Recap of the 2022 Rise to the Challenge Pitch Competition
Each semester, the University of Baltimore’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI) works with students, volunteers and others to host a venture pitch competition, culminating in a final live event at the end of each semester. Held April 21, 2022, this annual event, now in its 10th year – and held in person for the first time in almost three years! – featured the following 6 finalists, each aiming to win their share of the nearly $30,000 in seed money and professional services to launch or grow their businesses.
The finalists in Aspiring Business Ventures are:
- Clarrissa Cozart, Tailored Fit, a fashion line for tall boys that will allow customers to shop waist to inseam
- Ikechukwu Opaigbeogu, Zety Taste, which is planning to offer frozen, ready-to-eat, nutritious meals for young adults in their mid-20s and 30s
- Jonah Willard, Grease Garage, a planned shared-economy car garage, where car enthusiasts can meet to work on their vehicles, at their leisure
- Na’Quon Willet, Investment Neighbor, a subscription service that provides financial, market, and economic data to help retail investors make independent decisions
And the finalists in the Existing Business Ventures category are:
- Audriana Duvall, Single Baes, which offers custom shirts that showcase a person’s interests and hobbies so they can meet someone in real life, not online
- Samantha Mellerson, HeART Sam, a maker of premium-quality knitted fabrics that combine Afrocentric depictions and wearable art
Fast Pitch: The Ratcliffe Entrepreneurship Fellows
J.C. Weiss, program director for Entrepreneurship Fellows program and Kayleigh Harkay E-Fellow will share about the program. Learn about the scholarship and stipend given to all E-Fellows, the mentorship provided from experienced entrepreneurs and the success stories of current and past E-Fellows.
Check-in with UBalt's Ratcliffe Entrepreneurship Fellows Alumni
As an added highlight to UBalt’s 9th Annual Rise to the Challenge Business Pitch Competition, three alumni of the Ratcliffe Entrepreneurship Fellows program, Matthew Jung (BS ’18), co-founder of Dead Veggies; Emily Kim (BS ’15), founder and CEO of Over Rice, Zety Taste, and Uma Uma; and Meejee Kim (BS ’17), CEO of MISKOFITS and MV Studios – provided the “half-time” show while the judges met to deliberate and choose the competition winners. All three engaged in a Q&A session with Dean Murray Dalziel, about their journeys from undergrads to successful business owners, and helped make the entire night a memorable celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit.
Ratcliffe Fellows at The University of Baltimore 1st Cohort.
The Entrepreneurship Fellows Program at the University of Baltimore offers a new way to educate the next generation of entrepreneurs. The program balances classroom theory with periods of practical, hands-on experience prior to graduation. Through the Fellows Program, students are able to engage in an alternative academic study—gaining practical experience by working side-by-side with expert entrepreneurs and faculty.
In this video you get to see that inaugural cohort of students.
Featured Page Links
UBalt Entrepreneurship Fellow Wins 10th Annual Rise to the Challenge
After two years of virtual pitch competitions, the University of Baltimore hosted the 2022 "Rise to the Challenge" Pitch Competition, in-person. The top prize winner was Clarrissa Cozart, whose Tailored Fit won the Most Promising Business award and $15,000. Other current and former UBalt Ratcliffe Entrepreneurship Fellows were also pitching their businesses. The winners, included current undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni, emerged from the "Rise to the Challenge" Business Pitch Competition on April 21, 2022, each receiving their own "the big check" and a portion of the nearly $30,000 in prize money. The event is supported by The University of Baltimore's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to showcase many of the UBalt community's most talented and driven entrepreneurs.
Technical.ly Baltimore Recaps 2022 "Rise to the Challenge"
Technical.ly Baltimore recaps UBalt's 2022 "Rise to the Challenge."
Program Highlights
