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ENTR

External Engagement Papers

Students will submit a short (one-page, single-spaced) reflection paper within one week of each attended event. Papers submitted more than one week after the event will not be accepted. To receive full credit, reflection papers should clearly demonstrate critical engagement and analysis by making clear connections between concepts from the course and your observations, experiences, and opinions of the event. Papers that simply recite the event with no reflection or course connection will receive a grade of ‘C’ or lower.

FAQ about external event/outside material requirements:

  • What are the pre-approved events? A regularly updated list of events will be shared in the “Ecosystem Announcements” slides before each class period, though you remain ultimately responsible for identifying external event/outside material opportunities and confirming the logistical details of any event independently.
  • I found a different event not on the list—does it count? Any external event OR podcast, book, etc. can count toward external engagement if it passes the litmus test: does it provide an opportunity for you to hear about an entrepreneurial experience directly from an entrepreneur who has started a venture from the ground up? If so, it passes—no need to get it approved by me. If you have any questions or doubts about the eligibility of an event, reach out.
  • Where can I find events? A great place to start is to subscribe to the UGA ENTR Newsletter (scroll to bottom) and the Innovation District newsletter (button on top right), and to keep an eye on the events calendars of both of those entities—see the Innovation Hub calendar and the Entrepreneurship Program calendar.
  • I’m having trouble finding events that work with my schedule. Do I have any other options? Yes—although in-person events are strongly encouraged (GREAT networking opportunities!), you may write engagement papers on any podcast, book, article, or interview that passes the litmus test referenced above. Have you made it this far in the syllabus? Well done—you’ve shown yourself to be a resourceful self-starter. If you read this sentence, email me by the close of drop/add with the word traction and “ENTR 5000” in the subject line to earn two additional points on a sprint deliverable. Kindly let others discover this on their own and do not share this tip with anyone else.
  • If you choose a book, you may write a 2+ page paper that will count as two engagement papers.
  • A few recommendations include the “How I Built This” podcast, The Social Radars podcast, the “The Sweaty Startup” podcast (episodes which interview entrepreneurs), The Founder’s Journal podcast, Our Future podcast, Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, The Everything Store by Brad Stone, Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, and #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso.

Source: Fall 2026 course syllabus — External Engagement Papers, copied October 6, 2026.