New business class connects student passion with capital : Dr. Elliot McGucken in the Pepperdine Graphic

New business class connects student passion with capital
http://graphic.pepperdine.edu/news/2006/2006-09-21-bussinessclass.htm
AIRAN SCRUBY
News Editor

Students from a variety of majors are coming together in a classroom setting to make their dreams come true.

The class, Artistic Entrepreneurship and Technology, is listed through the Business Division, but all students may participate.

The course was added to Pepperdine’s curriculum this year, and is taught by a visiting professor, Dr. Elliot McGucken. McGucken previously taught a similar course at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has implemented the course in his new post at Pepperdine.

The course is being offered in two forms: as a freshman seminar course and as an upper-division class, comprised mainly of juniors and seniors.

McGucken said the goal of the class was to help students pursue their passion in their careers, and to keep in mind their artistic vision and ethics over the bottom line in business ventures.

“Ideals are real,” McGucken said.

McGucken’s class at UNC gained media attention as an exciting opportunity for students looking to market their artwork, or to make business an art.

“Looks like McGucken’s found a way to inspire a new generation of artistically minded entrepreneurs to follow their passion, and make a living,” wrote Teresea Ciulla in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Matt Llewellyn, a senior advertising and marketing major who is enrolled in the class, said McGucken’s youth and experience make him an effective professor.

“I think he relates to students, because he’s fresh and new,” Llewellyn said.

McGucken himself is an entrepreneur, with patents pending for digital rights management technologies and a new video games system.

Artie Calhoun, a senior economics major, said McGucken’s experience brought an extra dimension to the class.

“Dr. McGucken seems to be very experienced in the field of entrepreneurship and quite possibly has a lot to offer to students like myself,” Calhoun said.

Llewellyn started a company which sells bottled water in downtown Los Angeles, with packaging written in Spanish. He said he wishes he had taken the class before he started his venture.

“I think as the class goes on, I’m going to learn a lot from [McGucken],” Llewellyn said.

Llewellyn and Calhoun agreed students should take the class, regardless of their major.

“This class teaches about the advantages of thinking outside the box and keeping an open mind about the world around you,” Calhoun said. “Entrepreneurship can be found in every profession .”
http://graphic.pepperdine.edu/news/2006/2006-09-21-bussinessclass.htm