From virtual reality art to a deep dive into social entrepreneurship, the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (E&I) is kicking off the fall semester with a dynamic and diverse lineup of events. In partnership with various campus offices and organizations, E&I is offering students unique opportunities to explore their creative and innovative sides, turning ideas into action through hands-on workshops, artistic residencies, and new courses.
- The Tempestry Project is a year-long engagement that kicks off with an ENST Brown Bag event 12:15–1:15 p.m. on Sept. 12 in the ALANA Cultural Center Multipurpose Room. This initiative will include a visit from the founders, workshops for creating “Tempestries” (handcrafted textiles that represent climate data), and will conclude with a full exhibition in the Longyear Museum in April 2026.
- Join multimedia artist Shawn Chiki on Sept. 19 for “Fictional Architecture, Experimental Exhibition, and Performance Studio” in The Vault in Bernstein Hall. Chiki will deliver an artist talk at 6 p.m., then lead a hands-on VR sculpting workshop from 7–10 p.m. that will guide participants to “create a collaborative playscape worthy of our wildest imaginations.”
- From Sept. 29 to Oct. 9, Richard Maxwell and collaborators from New York City Players will be in residence at vlog. They will develop a new performance piece exploring the intersection of acting and robotics in the Experimental Exhibition and Performance Space in Bernstein Hall. The research, development, and rehearsal phases of the project will be open to students, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between the arts and computer science departments. On Oct. 1 at 4:15 p.m. in Golden Auditorium, Little Hall, Maxwell will deliver a public talk, “Robots as characters?” as part of the Arts Lecture Series. Maxwell will examine the area of robotics as characters on stage and share his thoughts and experiences working them into his productions. Members of the campus community will have an opportunity to see a work-in-progress presentation during open studio time on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 5 p.m. in the Vault, in Bernstein Hall.
- The popular “Ideation to Implementation: How to Launch a Startup and Build a Customer Base” six-week workshop series—which offers PE credit—returns on Tuesdays from Sept. 16 through Oct. 21. It guides students through the essential steps of developing a concept into a viable business venture. Students can sign up through PE registration or by emailing eandi@colgate.edu.
- On Oct. 28, the Center for Women’s Studies — with support from the Residential Commons and E&I — will host Shannon Downey, a.k.a. Badass Cross Stitch, a queer artist, activist, craftivist, and community builder. Craftivism, or the space where art and activism meet, is a powerful, ever-evolving social justice movement that continues to grow and diversify as more voices and mediums take part in it. In her book Let’s Move the Needle, Downey, an outspoken voice in the craftivist movement for over a decade, provides a roadmap and accessible toolkit for burgeoning art activists.
- “Social Entrepreneurship: The ABCs of the SDGs” is a new PE credit offering running on Tuesdays, Oct. 28 to Dec. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Bernstein Hall. Students will learn the foundations of social entrepreneurship and develop a sustainable solution to a social problem, which they will present in the final session. This program is presented jointly by E&I and the Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE). Students can sign up through PE registration or by emailing eandi@colgate.edu.
- Creative Endeavors workshop series is an opportunity for students to explore their creative craft and its possibilities side-by-side with other students and local artists. The Palace Theater (downtown Hamilton) will play host from 6–8 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 21 through Dec. 9. Sessions provide an opportunity for students to think intentionally about their creativity, make meaningful progress on a project, and consider the role they would like their creative outputs to play—whether personal or entrepreneurial. Students can sign up through PE registration or by emailing eandi@colgate.edu.
- A new session of the vlog-Tuck January Business Bridge will be held in January 2026. In collaboration with Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business and vlog Career Services, this rigorous program prepares sophomores and juniors for internships and jobs. Courses include business communications, strategy, ethics, marketing, financial accounting, and organizational behavior.
Students are strongly encouraged to register for and attend these events to take full advantage of the opportunities to explore entrepreneurship and innovation at vlog.