The Center for Entrepreneurship, located on the first floor of Bey Hall, is a space on campus where students can develop entrepreneurial skills, refine their business plans, and be part of a supportive community.
The Center, which has been open for three years, is cross-disciplinary and open to students of all years and all 33 majors, with the option to pair an entrepreneurship minor with any field of study.
Getting involved with the Center is simple. There is a submission form available on the Center for Entrepreneurship page on the Monmouth University website.
After the form is submitted, Director of Entrepreneurship, Alison Gilbert will set up a meeting with the interested student to discuss entrepreneurial goals. “We meet someone anywhere on their entrepreneurial journey,” she said.
The Center currently serves over 100 entrepreneurs through its various programs. Students who get involved often begin with the E-Lab Venture Development Program, a flexible program that students can complete at their own pace alongside their existing schedules.
“At the center, we start by asking, ‘What impact are you uniquely positioned to create? What authentically drives you?’ Our role is then helping Monmouth entrepreneurs and innovators channel that intention into action to create the businesses and innovations they envision,” explained Gilbert.
Students who are part of Monmouth’s Honors School have also worked with the Center while completing their capstone projects. “It is a great compliment to programs on campus doing a capstone project like the honors program,” said Gilbert.
Among the students who work with the Center is a group of five computer science majors from across all years at Monmouth. They utilize the Center’s resources as the Learn AI (LAI) Team, which focuses on AI tutoring and consulting.
The LAI Team connected in November 2025 during a Jersey Shore Tech and Design lightning talk, which they attended to network and seek advice on their initiative. The event was hosted at the Center by Alison, where she began working with the LAI Team.
Daniel Crawford, a junior who is part of the LAI Team, said, “Since that event, Alison has been instrumental in helping us refine our vision, navigate customer discovery for programs like I-Corps, and identify professional alignment through grant opportunities and mentorship! The Center for Entrepreneurship has been the catalyst for turning our initiative into a more professional venture. We evolved from just tutoring students on AI efficiency to developing a structured business model. The Center provided the professional alignment we needed to move beyond a simple idea, helping us refine our vision and navigate the complexities of customer discovery.”
Alexandria Young is a senior majoring in small business management and entrepreneurship. Young is developing Dialeco , a virtual language-immersion platform designed to connect users with native speakers for authentic conversational practice. Through her work in the Center’s E-Lab program and HawkTank, as well as the NSF I-Corps program, Young refined the concept and continues to prepare for the platform’s launch following graduation. She also recently pitched at an NJIT Business Pitch Competition.
She got involved with the Center during the spring semester of her freshman year. “Being a part of the Center for Entrepreneurship has impacted me in ways that I never expected. It challenged me to put myself out there, take charge of something I believe in. Which I never had done before. It helped me boost my self confidence but most of all it is helping me build a business that I’m proud of. The Center taught me it’s ok to pivot , it’s ok to be unsure because you’ll be supported in figuring out the obstacles at hand. This common space on campus allows for students to connect when they may not have met otherwise,” Young said.
Students at Monmouth choose to get involved with the program at any stage of their academic career. Many freshmen have incubated ideas through the program, and some students have even begun their involvement with the Center during the final semester of their senior year. Gilbert emphasized that it is always the right time to get involved and utilize this campus resource.
Young offered advice to Monmouth students who may be hesitant about getting involved. She said, “I would tell that student to 100% take the leap and get involved. To trust the process even when things feel slow or not a lot of momentum is picking up, it will, it just takes time being an entrepreneur. Prior to starting with the Center I knew I wanted to start my own business but I had no idea what type of support they could offer me.”
Young continued, “Getting Involved with the Center is more than just starting a business, it helps you grow as a person . It definitely helped me figure out my why not only for my business but for myself. Any student considering please don’t hesitate because you’ll have an amazing support system waiting to cheer you on!”
Similarly, Crawford offered advice to students. He concluded, “Stop waiting for a “perfect” business idea and just walk through the door. That is exactly what the Center specializes in, taking … ideas and turning them into a clear vision.”
To fill out the Center’s interest form, visit https://www.monmouth.edu/entrepreneurship/.
