Contact Us

Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship
College of Saint Benedict
Saint John’s University
350 Simons Hall
Collegeville, MN 56321

Margrette Newhouse
Director
[email protected]
320-363-2870

Paul Marsnik
Academic Director
Entrepreneur Scholars Program
[email protected]
320-363-2033

Kelli Gradin
Coordinator
[email protected]
320-363-2065

Center for Entrepreneurship
Student Employee
[email protected]
320-363-2764

Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship

The Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship is an entrepreneurship education resource that provides classes, coaching and assistance to entrepreneurs. It builds relationships among and between CSB/SJU students, faculty, alumnae/i, and community members to create and strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit.

Open the brochure.

Entrepreneur Scholar Applications for 2020-2022
Due February 19, 2020

Get your application and more information here.

E-15 Group in China Hear Alex Sais's Asia experience!

Eric Rego logo

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020
Stephen B. Humphrey Auditorium, SJU
6-7:30 p.m.

Cant attend, but want to watch live? Watch here starting at 6:00pm on Wednesday, February 26th!

The Eric Rego Big Idea competition is in honor of Eric Rego, an E-1 who graduated in 2006. Eric sadly passed away in 2008. In remembrence of Eric, this Big Idea Competition was born. To compete, students must submit a 15-30 second video application. A group of Bennie and Johnnie Entrepreneur Scholar alums then select the top 10 pitches from those submissions. The top 10 finalist then have 90 seconds to pitch to a live audience, CSB/SJU celebrity panelists, and hidden judges. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place take home CASH PRIZES!

First Place Second Place Third Place

FREE Event! For more information on the event, or details on how you can apply to compete - head over to our Eric Rego event page.

McNeely Center Hosts Annual Dinner

The Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship celebrated the 2018-19 academic year by awarding three honors April 30 at the Founders Room, Quadrangle Building, Saint John’s University.

The center selected Edelbrock Greenhouse as its Student Venture of the Year. Triink was named the Entrepreneur Scholar Venture of the Year, and Ben Trnka was named the center’s Volunteer of the Year.

Edelbrock Greenhouse, located in Flynntown on the SJU campus, focuses on sustainability producing organic leafy greens. The greenhouse provides fresh greens to the on-campus dining services, members of the College of Saint Benedict and SJU community and the Minnesota Street Market, St. Joseph.

A seven-student team, led by general manager and SJU senior Gary Harala, saw the greenhouse turn a profit for the first time since its founding in 2013. It also implemented several social media goals and created a succession plan to maintain knowledgeable leaders from semester to semester.

Triink is a student venture created by SJU juniors Joe Caughey and Bardia Bijani Avil. Together, they created a multi-purpose tool known as the Pickaxe, which is a stainless steel key ring geared toward beer and spirits enthusiasts. Among its uses are a can opener, bottle opener, screwdriver and box opener.

They took their project to Kickstarter and raised over $8,300 – 111 percent of their goal – in 35 days.

Trnka, a visiting assistant professor of accounting and finance at CSB/SJU, was honored for mentoring entrepreneurial students.

“Ben is always excited to see his students and is always excited about their ideas,” one student said. “When I see him around campus I always stop to chat and we'll often talk about our entrepreneurial endeavors together. He makes it known that he's nearly always available to meet up, even outside of center mentor hours.”

Six student ventures were also added to the Entrepreneur Scholars’ Wall of Fame – The Move, Ravivé Restoration, Greta Lee Design, Color Outside the Box, Hanna Degen and Triink. A total of 55 student ventures have been included in the Wall of Fame since the center’s founding 16 years ago.

Contact Us

Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship
College of Saint Benedict
Saint John’s University
350 Simons Hall
Collegeville, MN 56321

Margrette Newhouse
Director
[email protected]
320-363-2870

Paul Marsnik
Academic Director
Entrepreneur Scholars Program
[email protected]
320-363-2033

Kelli Gradin
Coordinator
[email protected]
320-363-2065

Center for Entrepreneurship
Student Employee
[email protected]
320-363-2764

Contact Us

Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneur Scholar Applications for 2020-2022 Due February 19, 2020

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020 Stephen B. Humphrey Auditorium, SJU 6-7:30 p.m.

McNeely Center Hosts Annual Dinner

Contact Us

Entrepreneur Scholar Applications for 2020-2022
Due February 19, 2020

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020
Stephen B. Humphrey Auditorium, SJU
6-7:30 p.m.