Editorial : Entrepreneurship program to benefit media students

The recently created Newhouse Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship adds a vital element in increasing student startups on campus as Syracuse University works to become a leader in student entrepreneurship. With multiple entrepreneurship programs in place at other SU schools, the creation of the center in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is a logical move.

Each degree program at Newhouse lends itself to possible business startups. Though a strong communications education remains the basis for those programs, visiting speakers and professors often stress the quickly evolving industry. The way people gather news and the pace at which people expect information have changed dramatically since the heydays of print journalism. The creation of the center demonstrates SU’s acknowledgment of the changes in the field.

The center will help foster new media development and create connections across the Newhouse majors — something Newhouse could benefit from.

Many students in Newhouse minor or take classes in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. Newhouse’s entrepreneurship efforts help those students make practical connections between media and business. This is becoming increasingly important as media outlets strive to reach and attract niche audiences.

The center has created a smart plan to help students create their own businesses as well. A student, who may not know if his or her idea is feasible, would feel comfortable sitting down informally and hashing out his or her plans with an open-minded expert. Anything more formal, especially for students without business backgrounds, may be far too intimidating.