L. William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The L. William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership isn't just a part of the University of Dayton; it's a dynamic hub where aspiring entrepreneurs gain real-world experience.

Established in 1998 through a generous $1 million gift from Bill Crotty '52, a visionary leader who built Van Dyne Crotty, Inc. into an industry leader, the Center embodies his spirit of practical success.

• Hands-On Approach: At the Crotty Center, we believe in "profit and purpose." We go beyond textbooks, offering an immersive educational approach where you'll: Lead one of the nation's largest student-run corporations, Direct microloans to underrepresented entrepreneurs, Act as angel investors in pre-seed ventures, Consult for startups and engage in community development
• Entrepreneur Expertise: Thanks to a $250,000 endowment from Fifth Third Bank of Dayton, the School of Business Administration now features an Entrepreneur-in-Residence. This enables us to bring top entrepreneurs directly to students, sharing real-world insights and mentorship.

At the Crotty Center, we're more than a classroom—we're an incubator for future leaders. Students from every major don't just learn about entrepreneurship; they live it daily, launching ventures, collaborating with businesses, and making a tangible impact in the community long before graduation. You'll master the exciting intersection of business success and positive societal impact.

At UD, students don't just watch from the sidelines — they're immersed in the process. They leverage the entrepreneurial mindset through experiential learning opportunities. And they create profitable ventures and take on initiatives that will have a positive impact on the community. Visiting Entrepreneur Guest Speaker Larry Connor, CEO of the $2 billion national company The Connor Group (headquartered in the Miami Valley), visits campus annually to share invaluable insights on success with our entrepreneurship students.

Additional opportunities for students to get involved include: Flyer Pitch, Flyer Enterprises, Flyer Consulting, Flyer Angels, Stitt Scholars Program, and professional fraternities like Epsilon Nu Tau.

Have a great idea? Flyer Pitch is one of the largest collegiate-level competitions in the country. It offers funding, mentorship and support for entrepreneurs and startups.

Our Herr Venture for Change program will empower students to become entrepreneurial leaders for the common good. Scheduled to launch in Fall 2026, this nine-credit certificate in social entrepreneurship will equip students to build ventures that prioritize impact and income, blending purpose-driven innovation with cutting-edge tools like AI, systems thinking and entrepreneurial mindset development.

The certificate will be anchored in three transformative courses:

• It will begin with Entrepreneurial, Innovative, and Creative Mindset (MGT 101), a required course for all School of Business students that will introduce the mindset, adaptability and opportunity-seeking behavior foundational to entrepreneurial leadership.
• Students will then dive into a second course focused on influence, personal brand power and high-impact communication — helping them craft reputations, relationships and content strategies that accelerate visibility and value.
• The experience will culminate in a venture creation course, where students will develop and launch purpose-driven initiatives, working with partners locally or internationally to drive real-world impact.

Students will graduate not only with viable ventures, but with the ability to build agile networks, grow high-value reputations, and drive results faster — while staying rooted in purpose, equity, and social good.

From foundational coursework to global fieldwork, Herr Scholars won't just be earning credentials — they’ll be building platforms for leadership.

Made possible through the visionary support of UD alumni Mike '90 and Katie '94 Herr, this program will be more than a certificate — it will be a launchpad for changemakers ready to lead with clarity, connection and courage.

Advisory Council

The Crotty Advisory Council acts as a sounding board for all of UD's entrepreneurship activities. Members assist the Center's director and entrepreneurship faculty members in improving the quality of the entrepreneurship major, as well as the Crotty Center's programs, activities, and long-term strategy.

Notable UD Entrepreneur Alumni

A few of our most prominent entrepreneur alumni include:

Allison Robinson '09

Founder and CEO of The Mom Project
The Mom Project (Chicago, IL) is a digital marketplace and community for professionally accomplished women. It provides women with real work opportunities that allows them to balance their personal goals. The Mom Project was the winner of the 2016 Chicago Innovation Awards and has been featured in national media including, CNN, Bloomberg, Huffington Post, Glamour Magazine, Yahoo and The Chicago Tribune. In 2018, The Mom Project raised $2.6 million in their seed round and the site now has 500 corporate clients and 30,000 users.

Stephen Harman '08

Co-Founder of Fusian Inc.
Fusian (Dayton, OH) is a fast casual and affordable sushi restaurant that was founded in 2010 and has grown to seven locations in Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo. Named in 2017 to QSR Magazine’s top 40 restaurant chains, Fusian has been recognized as one of the fastest growing, and perhaps the next “big thing” in the fast-casual food segment.

Jon Dekar '11

Co-Founder and CEO of OBI Robot
Based on experiences with his grandfather, Jon had a goal restoring dignity to those who cannot feed themselves for various reasons. John’s Obi Robot is designed to help mobility impaired people feed themselves. Jon is the winner of the 2017 Soin Innovation Award. Obi was the winner of the 2016 R&D Awards in the category of Mechanical/Materials and has been featured on CNBC, NPR, CNet and Yahoo.

Addison Hoover '09

Docent Health
A thought-leader in consumer experience technologies and design, over the past ten years Addison has worked on a multitude of projects spanning numerous industries, leveraging his expertise in consumer transaction technology, experience and service design, sales, marketing, and user research. Addison is regularly asked to write and speak on various multi-industry megatrends, and to translate both visionary and practical ideas into action with leaders in retail, banking, hospitality, and healthcare.

Andy Hill '12

Founder, Stand4 and Atlis
Stand4 is a mobile app that is designed to connect individuals, charities, and corporations. At launch, Stand4 already had 5,000 users, 22 employees, and had raised $500,000 in seed investment. Andy is a contributing writer to Entrepreneur Magazine and was a finalist on CNBC’s Shark Tank.

See innovation in action! Visit the Flyer Consulting and Flyer Enterprises headquarters to discover how our students transform ideas into tangible impact. Schedule an academic visit with the School of Business Administration today.