Johanson Entrepreneurship Fellows Program (formerly, Coleman Fellows Program) was launched at Fresno State in 2005. Since then, more than 30 faculty members have received fellowships to assist in their efforts to infuse entrepreneurship into their courses and develop research in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship in their respective fields.

The program offers professional development funds to selected faculty members to support the development of curricula infusing elements of entrepreneurship into an existing course or for the creation of a new course with entrepreneurial content in their academic discipline. Of particular interest are proposals seeking to develop curricula in non-traditional business areas. Proposals having a high probability for multi-year offerings will receive the highest priority. Faculty members from all disciplines across campus are eligible for Johanson Entrepreneurship Fellows Program.

Awards will go to proposals clearly demonstrating how entrepreneurship can be integrated into the subject matter of a discipline and provide relevant learning to students. Courses taught by Johanson Entrepreneurship Fellows may serve as electives for students currently pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship in the Craig School of Business.

One fellowship will be awarded in the 2025-2026 academic year. Professional development funds are $5,000 for the academic year. A portion of the funds is to be used to support travel and registration at the Experiential Classroom held at Florida State University, Sept. 11-14, 2025. Refer here for more information.

The awardee is expected to develop the course during Fall 2025 with course delivery in Spring 2026. The awardee will work with the Executive Director of Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Program Coordinator of Johanson Entrepreneurship Fellows Program to develop the course. In the subsequent years, the awardee may receive smaller professional development funds based upon meeting certain criteria.

The application should include the following information. A proposal, that includes:

• Description of the proposed course restricted to 250 words or less;
• List of learning objectives for the course;
• How entrepreneurship will be incorporated into the course topic;
• Statement on how the course will be sustained as an offering beyond the 2025-2026 academic year;
• Three-page C.V.;
• Letters of support from the College/School Dean and Department Chair. The letters should clearly state that the College/School and Department are supportive of incorporating the course into the curricula over the next three years.

In addition, a Johanson Entrepreneurship Fellow is expected to provide commitments to the following each year:

• Make a minimum of one presentation every year at a Fellows Workshop;
• Encourage students to attend Fellows Workshops and Pay It Forward Speaker Series either as a course requirement or for extra credit;
• Attend monthly Fellows luncheons.

Submit a proposal through the following online application. Proposals are due by Monday, Aug. 25.

forms.gle/SaQVZZBCnWYGo9be7

For more information send inquiries to Akhil Kanodia, akhil@csufresno.edu.