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THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
Join the Continuous Renewal.
The CEDE Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge invites all change makers ages 14-18 to study Michael Novak’s ideas of Pluralism, Creativity, Calling, and Community. Students will use their unique gifts of time, talent, and labor to experiment with ways to use technology to help people and organizations in their local communities better serve their constituents and missions.
At the conclusion of the CEDE Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge, participants will present video presentations, portfolios, or shareable artifacts of their project and process. Their submissions will be adjudicated based on criteria of magnanimity, techne, transmission, and fidelity to the program. Winners will be invited to The Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to attend Exitus: a 3-day, 3-night summit where students will connect with entrepreneurs, philosophers, and leaders to dig deeper into the impact their lives can have on society.
Accepted applicants will be expected to:
Attend at least one Zoom session per month from October 2023 to May 2024.
Two sessions will be offered each month on either the third Tuesday or the Thursday immediately following the third Tuesday of each month.
Sessions will be 90 minutes in duration, with the exception of the May session, which is 120 minutes.
Complete pre-reading assignments prior to the corresponding sessions and be prepared to discuss and act upon the ideas in the selected reading.
Complete the session quest before the following session.
Each monthly session builds on the previous session and follows a specific theme related to the writings of Michael Novak.
The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge is a program of CEDE (the Catholic Entrepreneurship and Design Experience) of The Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America. CEDE provides high school students with the opportunity to participate in an interactive college-level course that seeks to equip the next generation of business leaders to discover God’s purpose and transform the world.
Hear from previous challengers:
"The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge allowed me to learn and discuss the value of business in society and ethical considerations in the open market with peers and mentors. Through this program, I've been able to learn about business and its role in creation as well as learn about myself and how to identify my calling. In the fall of 2023, I will be attending Indiana State University and majoring in Human Resource Development."
Joshua Mello
"This program has been an amazing opportunity for me to grow comfortable in sharing my thoughts and discussing important topics. Having a set time once a month to discuss a topic with peers opened my eyes to the power of conversations, alongside my own abilities to contribute. The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge provided me with a better perspective on what business truly is and the myriad factors involved in proper business. This summer, I hope to begin a project inspired by the challenge covering the perspective of schools as businesses and current students' interpretations of how well schools are succeeding in their intended purposes.
Abigail Freeman
"The thing I enjoyed the most about the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge was simply hearing that a business career was something admirable and a worthy pursuit in life. Repeatedly hearing that message gave me a ton of reassurance and confidence going into college with a plan on majoring in accounting."
Dominic Adkins
"I absolutely loved the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge! It was a wonderful experience to be surrounded by like-minded individuals. The interactive discussions were a highlight, and it was great to see everyone's opinions valued. In the future, I plan to apply what I learned from the symposium in my leadership and volunteer roles. It was a valuable experience that will guide me as I pursue college in the future."
Hailey Klein
FAQs
This program was made for you if you are between 14 and 18 years of age and you have a desire to discover how God is calling you to make the world a better place. You must be willing to dream bigger, challenge your own paradigms, put in the hard work of co-creation and experimentation, embrace the risk of failure, and innovate through iteration.
Application to and participation in the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Challenge does not have any monetary costs. However, there is a significant commitment of your own will and effort, if you are serious about winning a spot at Exitus.
This is not like a normal “class” or school project. Each session will be a dialogue ordered toward action. If you identify with the “who should apply” question, be ready to take on a quest that moves you in the direction of being part of the continuous renewal that is the spirit of entrepreneurship. It’s not homework, it isn’t “work,” it is pure opportunity to connect your talent, time, and spirit to the future world you can envision.
Live attendance points are part of the path to Exitus. Session dates are set in advance so that participants can schedule accordingly, and you always have the choice to attend either the Tuesday or the Thursday session. Part of entrepreneurship is being able to discern what to prioritize and act on it. Each session will be recorded so participants have a chance to review content —but attendance points are available only for live and active participation.
“Do the ‘do’s’. Don’t worry so much about the ‘don’ts’.” – Andreas Widmer, Entrepreneurship Professor, The Busch School of Business
More than just “showing up” to the sessions, winning participants invited to Exitus will have answered the call to complete each quest along the journey with the force of their intellect, and most importantly, their will. Fidelity to the program means stepping into the unknown of creating the common good through well-thought-out designs, right where you are, in your own community. Exitus is for young people who begin by asking, “How may I help you?” and then take action to imagine, implement, and improve on their own unique contribution to serve people in their communities. Magnanimity means being able to both envision and act on the emergent possibilities that God has imbued in His creation, and being “great-souled” in giving of yourself to bring them into being. Techne is about creating artifacts of the virtuous investment of your time and talent that mark the path of your journey for others to encounter and experience.
If you are one of the 15 winning submissions, you will receive an exclusive invitation to Exitus, a 3-day, 3-night Spirit of Entrepreneurship summit at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in July 2024. Winners will connect with entrepreneurs, philosophers, and leaders to dig deeper into the potential impact their lives can have on our world. Sessions will include daily mass, immersive simulations, a red-carpet campus experience, and a dinner outing in the Washington metropolitan area. CEDE will cover all costs associated with attending Exitus once winning participants arrive to campus (including meals, lodging, local transportation, and program-related expenses). Winning participants will receive a stipend for their travel expenses to and from Exitus.
“The key to the wealth of nations lies in human creativity more than in any other source.”
– Michael Novak, The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism
