Taylor Business Department Launches New Major

The Business Department at Taylor seeks to develop and inspire the servant-leaders of tomorrow, equipped to enter the workforce as confident and competent Christian leaders. 

The new Entrepreneurship and Economic Development major, launching Fall 2025, reflects this desire to prepare students to make a real-world difference. This first-of-its-kind major among liberal arts schools is for students who love to innovate and who seek to create positive change in the world. 

Solve Real-World Issues 

Dr. Jody Hirschy, Hodson Dean of the Cornwall School of Business & Leadership, explained that Taylor University has a long historical presence in the spaces of entrepreneurship and economic development. With the current Main Street Mile Initiative offering hands-on experiences for students, now is a great time for the Entrepreneurship and Economic Development major to come to life. 

This major is for students who are naturally inclined to creative ideation and innovation, who desire to make an impact in their communities and steward people’s time, talent, and treasures. In the Entrepreneurship and Economic Development major, students will develop foundational knowledge, practical skills, and community-oriented leadership through hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith.  

Interdisciplinary in nature, the major combines business, economics, policy, and development studies to understand their impact on entrepreneurship and growth. With a global perspective and focus on international markets, the curriculum explores how to apply entrepreneurial energy to developing or underserved markets through sustainable and socially responsible practices.   

“Entrepreneurship and economic development are the engines that drive daily living,” said Hirschy. “Students with this degree can find jobs almost anywhere; from working as a city planner to a policy analyst. The job market is full of jobs for people with the skill set honed through the Entrepreneurship and Economic Development major.”  

Students in this major will leave Taylor University with a solid foundation in basic business skills and the tools they need to be leading-edge innovators, equipped to start their own business or apply intrapreneurship within an existing company.   

Make Christian Impact 

Within the Business Department, Taylor's holistic liberal arts approach helps students to flourish as Christian professionals. 

“I believe that the business world is one of the largest mission fields out there,” Hirschy explained. “How can we as entrepreneurs and economic developers and accountants and financial planners enter into the marketplace and see that as our ministry?”  

The Cornwall School of Business and Leadership is focused on preparing students for Kingdom impact within business. Classes provide the necessary tools to enter the workplace confidently, and professors encourage students to use these tools they have been given for the betterment of society. Through practicum and internship opportunities, students will hone their skills to create change in communities and make a lasting impact even before graduation. 

When Entrepreneurship and Economic Development students leave Taylor, they will be prepared to navigate an ever-shifting job market with a set of flexible skills that can be applied while working for a variety of organizations. This major will equip students to pursue careers in entrepreneurial ventures, economic development, policymaking, and more.