Advising
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The Entrepreneurship Advising Team works with students throughout their entrepreneurial education including course exploration, co-curricular and professional opportunities. Advisors also process major decorations and minor releases.
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How to Declare
In order to declare your minor, you must first have a declared major, be in good academic standing, and have at least sophomore standing.
If you meet those criteria, you must have an appointment with one of Entrepreneurship Minor staff advisors. We strongly recommend meeting with one of our peer advisors prior to that meeting. You can schedule an Entrepreneurship Academic Advising Appointment here.
Peer Advisors
Students interested in the Entrepreneurship Minor should meet with an Entrepreneurship Minor Peer Advisor to discuss minor requirements and gain valuable student perspectives and advice. Students can schedule advising appointments with Peer Advisors during the Fall and Winter terms.
Kayley Cawhorn
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Kayley is a Junior from Huntington Beach, CA, majoring in Sport Management with minors in Entrepreneurship and Law & Policy. She is passionate about the intersection of sports and law; her ultimate goal is to pursue a Master’s degree and attend law school to open her own Sport Law firm one day. Her favorite class so far has been ENTR 411, where she explored the importance of customer discovery, dove into the intricacies of start-ups, and began turning her start-up idea into a working prototype.
On campus, Kayley is actively involved in Sport Business Association, and the Michigan Sports Law Group, and works as a Recruiting Assistant for Michigan Football. Outside the classroom, she’s a dedicated sports fan who loves watching and playing sports, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and dog.
Eli Gray
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Eli is a Junior studying Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He plans to pursue a career in medical devices, biomaterials, or biotechnology after graduation and would love to have his own startup one day. His favorite class was ENTR 390 because it allowed him creative liberty and freedom with his projects.
He is involved with Sigma Eta Pi (Entrepreneurship Fraternity), 3D Printing Club, and various soccer and volleyball groups. Outside of school, he enjoys cooking, baking, trying new foods, playing sports, binging TV series, or playing card games.
Samantha Jayasundera
Samantha is a Senior from the Washington D.C. area, majoring in Electrical Engineering, minoring in Entrepreneurship, and specializing in Sustainable Engineering. Her favorite entrepreneurship minor experiences so far have been working for SkyNano, a carbon-capture startup, in Perot Jain TechLab Climate Change, and working for the U.S. Space Force in Innovation for Impact: Defense and Security.
On campus, she is involved with MPowered Entrepreneurship, TEDxUofM, and Michigan Engineering’s Student Advisory Board. Beyond school, she is a foodie, adventurer, and animal lover. Being part of the entrepreneurship community at Michigan has been one of the highlights of her college career, and she looks forward to helping you get involved too!
Karen Vera Sanchez
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Karen is a Junior majoring in Industrial and Operations Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Originally from Mexico City, she is an Honors student in the College of Engineering and a member of the 2025 cohort of the Entrepreneurs Leadership Program (ELP), where she’s developing her fintech startup focused on expanding access to education in emerging markets through innovative financial solutions.
Driven by a passion for entrepreneurship and venture capital, Karen is committed to making a meaningful impact in her community and beyond. She has led initiatives in social campaigns, innovation challenges, and sustainability projects, consistently demonstrating strong leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. On campus, Karen enjoys being part of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and is always eager to connect with other students. Outside of academics, she loves spending quality time with family and friends, diving into a good book, swimming, traveling, and delicious enchiladas.
Isadora Sotero
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Isadora is a Junior from Connecticut pursuing a B.S.E. in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship and a Sustainable Engineering Certificate. She has a wide range of career interests within the aerospace industry and across various engineering sectors. One of her growing interests is in Quality Engineering, which she explored during her summer internship at RTX, Pratt & Whitney. Her favorite class so far has been ENTR 413: Entrepreneurial Marketing, where she learned the fundamentals of B2B marketing and developed a comprehensive marketing plan for a start-up. On campus, Isadora is involved in the Society of Women Engineers, ALPFA, the Portuguese Club at the University of Michigan, the Brazilian Student Association, and Latinos at Umich.
Staff Advisors
In order to declare the minor students must meet with a staff advisor for the Entrepreneurship Minor. Furthermore, students can discuss petitioning, course mapping and/or longer term professional aspirations associated with the Entrepreneurship Minor. Advising is available year round. Please schedule an advising appointment here.
Timothy Webb, PhD: Entrepreneurship Minor Faculty Director
Tim graduated from the University of Michigan with an Honors BA in History and Classical Archaeology before completing his PhD in Roman Archaeology from the University of Bradford. Professionally, Tim ran international archaeological field schools in Pompeii, Italy; Taught undergraduates in Italy, England, California and Michigan; worked in finance for HSBC Bank; and advised in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at U-M prior to directing the minor.
Outside of work, Tim loves hiking, baking, and spending time with his daughters. He is also a huge soccer fan and loves watching Liverpool F.C.
Caitlin Diefenbach: Entrepreneurship Minor Director
Caitlin earned a dual BS degree in Mild-Moderate and Moderate-Intensive Special Education from Bowling Green State University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from Liberty University. Before joining the Ross School of Business, she spent five years as a special education teacher, working with diverse learners. This experience fueled her passion for supporting students and advocating for their unique learning needs.
Outside of work, Caitlin enjoys basketball, golf, traveling, and summers on the lake. She is a fan of college basketball, Michigan Football, and Grey's Anatomy.
Lisa Darnell-Ferrara, Entrepreneurship Academic Advisor and Ross BBA Undergraduate Academic Advisor
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Lisa is passionate about helping students realize their goals and potential through co-creating an enriching university experience. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in Communication Arts and Psychology from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. She also holds Master’s of Business Administration and Master’s of Science of Organizational Behavior degrees. Lisa joined the University of Michigan after nine years at Benedictine, where she worked within the Offices of Financial Aid and Undergraduate Transfer Enrollment.
Lisa enjoys yoga, martial arts, kayaking, hiking, reading, listening to NPR, and watching science fiction movies and TV shows.
Kellie White: Entrepreneurship Academic Advisor & Ross Curriculum Support Coordinator
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Kellie graduated from Western Michigan University with a major in Secondary Education and Social Studies, with a minor in History. She also holds an MA in History from Fitchburg State University. Prior to working at Ross, she taught history for 7 years across the US. Kellie’s passion for education and student experiences allows her an empathetic approach in her role.
Beyond working, Kellie enjoys hiking the national parks, is a huge Michigan football fan, enjoys a good horror novel, and loves going to rock concerts.
Petition a course to count toward the Entrepreneurship Minor
Students may submit a petition to request that a course count toward Entrepreneurship Minor requirements. Petitions must include a syllabus and a brief explanation of how the course aligns with either the ideation, elective, or practicum category. Students may also petition to receive practicum credit for experiences completed prior to reaching senior standing or before completing the core course.
Please note: If a petitioned course is taken outside of U-M, it is the student's responsibility to verify that it will transfer to U-M. The Entrepreneurship Minor does not evaluate transfer credit; your home school/college determines how the credit transfers back. Petition approval simply means that the course was evaluated to meet elective or practicum criteria. To count toward the minor, the course must post as departmental credit or an approved area credit on your U-M transcript. Courses that transfer as “TRGENCR” cannot be applied to the minor.
How to obtain your graduation audit or senior release
Prior to graduation, students must obtain an audit from all their programs of study as well as apply to graduate through Wolverine Access. We recommend getting your minor release the term prior to your expected graduation. To obtain a release, please email entrepreneurshipminor@umich.edu. It can take up to 2 weeks for the program to process your minor request.