the colopy
entrepreneurship program
at ncssm

Customers/
Beneficiaries

The CEP serves all NCSSM students, aiming to build their capacity to “make waves in this world and help others” (ncssm.edu). The CEP also serves benefactor Joe Colopy, who hopes to see his investment expand the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Triangle. NCIDEA, local entrepreneurs, and business owners all can benefit from collaborating with NCSSM students in the program on problem-solving for business dilemmas. Less tangibly, NCSSM students external to the program could still benefit from the outcomes of an increased number of innovators and impact-oriented student leaders.  

Value 
Proposition

The CEP’s promise is to develop in students an entrepreneurial mindset for lasting positive impacts on their careers and communities. With a semester-long course on the horizon to expand on a successful J-Term, the CEP is poised to gain academic legitimacy within the institution. As part of NCSSM’s culture of educational innovation, the program deeply aligns with the institution’s strategic plan to expand interdisciplinary learning (NCSSM 2014–2030 Strategic Plan, 2023, #7). 

Channels

Entrepreneurship.ncssm.edu, equipped with numerous resources and links served as the initial channel for program awareness. In the Spring, Lunch & Learns with regional entrepreneurs included several alumni and became increasingly popular through May. By infiltrating the eight-day-long Starting a Nonprofit J-Term, Bobbert positioned himself to students as key faculty for entrepreneurship learning and endeavors at the school. Additionally, Bobbert’s engagement with the school’s DECA chapter – chaperoning the group to its competition in Orlando – helped to increase students’ awareness and recognition of him as the faculty and Director of the CEP.

Customer Relationships

The program currently functions as an open-enrollment initiative where students can participate as flexibly as their schedules and interests allow. Bobbert maintains an open-door mentorship approach, available for one-on-one conversations and guidance. Lunch & Learns served as semi-consistent engagement points. However, a formal peer network or intimate cohort community has yet to be established.

Revenue Streams

The program is by and large funded with the Colopy Family Endowment for Technology Entrepreneurship. The $1.5 million gift will be delivered in three annual $500,000 installments. Until gains consistently accrue from the fund, investment returns are earmarked to sustain Bobbert's salary as its' Director. The CEP does not yet benefit from external corporate sponsorships or competitive grants, largely in part due to faculty hesitations around overlap with other programs and funding streams at NCSSM.

Cost 
Structure

The program’s only significant expense is Bobbert’s $92,700 salary (ncosc.gov, 2025). Though the CEP has welcomed many guests to speak, NCSSM’s Broyhill Foundation Endowment funds business and technology professionals coming to speak on campus (NCSSM, n.d). Event ‘materials’ and food items at Lunch & Learns have been supported through faculty discretion. Other potential costs like student venture funding saw little demand in year one, making long-term cost impact unclear.

Key
Partnerships

The program’s foremost partner is the Colopy family, whose financial and strategic support anchors the program. Local entrepreneurs and professionals are likely to increasingly engage with CEP participants through methods such as guest speaking, evaluation, and mentorship. From within NCSSM, The Foundation serves as a likely partner for future grant opportunities, even if coordination is currently stagnant. Other internal partners include champion faculty like Chad Keister, current teacher of entrepreneurship courses at NCSSM-Durham; Bec Conrad, whose expertise at the FabLab makes her likely to emerge as an essential assistant for student rapid-prototyping; Studio Art instructor, Carrie Alter, who – according to her faculty directory blurb – focuses on guiding students toward  “self-confidence, a less judgmental mind, and a more optimistic attitude while unlocking creative thinking skills” that she writes are “critical for innovation in every STEM field.” Finally, Director of Mentorship and Research in Durham, Sarah Shoemaker who – to the interest of the Entrepreneurship Program – holds plenty of social and therefore institutional capital over mentorship and grant processes at NCSSM.

Key
Resources

Foremost, the CEP relies on the continuity of the Colopy Family Endowment for Technology Entrepreneurship to sustain. The Entrepreneurship Program is graced by NCSSM’s institutional flexibility, which empowers the CEP to explore a range of interdisciplinary models as it establishes itself within the school over time. Bobbert’s expertise and professional network expand learning opportunities for students interested in entrepreneurship. NCSSM’s statewide brand is familiar, and the Durham campus’s proximity to the tech ecosystem in the Triangle combine to create a powerful draw to the program for high-caliber students and local professionals alike. Another resource includes NCSSM’s accessible vehicle fleet for off-campus programming. Lastly, the CEP greatly benefits from an institutional culture of inquiry and NCSSM students’ willingness to engage with complex challenges.

Key
Activities
 

In its first year, the CEP’s activities included Lunch & Learns with guest entrepreneurs, launching entrepreneurship.ncssm.edu to serve as a resource for students, supporting the development of the highly successfulStarting a Non-profit J-Term course, advising and highlighting student entrepreneurs in school with CEP resources, participating in Colopy’s Grep-a-Palooza networking event off-campus, and securing its very own 2026 J-Term course, Product Realization.