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Speaker standing in front of slide before an audience at the Higher Education and Artificial Intelligence Conference in October of 2024

UP Executive Education Program to Help Portland-Area Firms Harness the Power of Artificial Intelligence

Franz Center

September 18, 2025

As artificial intelligence rapidly races to transform the workplace and business operations, the University of Portland (UP) has an inviting prompt for executives who want in on the revolution.

Devin Ajimine

Think Big, Think New: Entrepreneur Scholars Program Turns 20

Alumni

Portland Magazine

Franz Center

June 21, 2019

University of Portland's Entrepreneur Scholars program is turning 20. More than 300 students have participated in the program. Some ideas are still going strong; some have lived a full life; some flopped and inspired the next idea. Here are stories of five alumni from the program.

Devin Ajimine

From magic wallets to product management, Entrepreneur Scholar Devin Ajimine learned to take chances and embrace failures

Portland Magazine

Alumni

Franz Center

Engineering

June 21, 2019

Devin Ajimine recently graduated from University of Portland. He credits the Entrepreneur Scholars program with teaching him how to travel globally, network, and communicate clearly. Now a product manager at T-Mobile, Devin is also pursuing a master's in human centered design and engineering.

Molly Gowan

From founding a business to corporate sales: Skills learned in Entrepreneur Scholar program serve Molly (Sexton) Gowan throughout her career

Alumni

Communication Studies

Franz Center

Portland Magazine

June 20, 2019

Molly (Sexton) Gowan '00, created an executive management seminar for parish priests for her Entrepreneur Scholar project. After graduation, she founded her own company and eventually found her way to corporate sales, noting that entrepreneurial skills are beneficial in every career.

Thomas Iwasaki

Entrepreneurial spirit takes root in Thomas Iwasaki '14

Franz Center

Business

Portland Magazine

Alumni

June 20, 2019

Entrepreneur Scholar alum Thomas Iwasaki '14 designed a customizable bluetooth speaker for his project and went on to a career at Nike. He's now the co-creator of Usonia, a business data company.

Vail Horton

Vail Horton uses Entrepreneur Scholar program to launch innovative crutch, found a non-profit

Portland Magazine

Business

Philosophy

Alumni

Franz Center

International Languages and Cultures

June 20, 2019

A life-long user of crutches, Vail Horton knew first-hand the need for an ergonomic crutch. With a team of fellow Entrepreneur Scholar students at University of Portland, he founded Keen--an innovative crutch company. He now runs a non-profit.

Fatima Ruiz Villatoro

Entrepreneur Scholars program leads Fatima Ruiz Villatoro to career in hospital construction

Alumni

Engineering

Portland Magazine

International Languages and Cultures

Franz Center

June 20, 2019

A 2015 graduate with degrees in engineering management and Spanish, Fatima Ruiz Villatoro's Entrepreneur Scholar student project of decorating hospital rooms for terminally ill children turned into a career project managing medical facility construction.

photo of Salvador Orara

University of Portland welcomes new Innovation minor director, Salvador Orara

Engineering

Franz Center

June 20, 2019

The University’s new campus-wide minor in innovation will be led by Salvador Orara, who has been hired as a Franz Center professor of practice. Orara’s experience includes UX (user experience design) roles and considerable teaching experience.

2019 100K Challenge winners

$100K Challenge Venture Competition Results Are In: 2019 Winners

Franz Center

May 3, 2019

The Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation’s annual $100K Challenge Venture Competition took place on Saturday, April 27.

2018 $100k Challenge Venture Competition

$100K Challenge Venture Competition Results Are In: 2018 Winners

Franz Center

May 1, 2018

The Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s annual $100K Challenge Venture Competition took place on Saturday, April 28.

Lynn Le '11 (photo by Isaac Lane Koval)

Lynn S. Le ’11 named to Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30”

Franz Center

Alumni

Business

November 17, 2017

Entrepreneur and sports marketer Lynn S. Le ’11, has been named to Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30 Retail and E-Commerce Class of 2018.”

Lily D'Amico

Economics student Lily D'Amico’s Oxy camping chair takes top honors at University of Portland’s 2017 $100K Challenge Venture Competition

Franz Center

May 1, 2017

A record 36 teams participated in the Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation’s annual $100K Challenge Venture Competition, held at the University of Portland on Saturday, April 29.

$100K Challenge Venture inspires student entrepreneurs and inventors

Franz Center

April 26, 2017

A virtual farmers market. A new way to store and charge your smart phone. A program which makes learning math fun for high school students. Low glycemic snack bars for diabetics. These are just a few of the business ideas which will be presented by promising entrepreneurs competing in the Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation’s annual $100K Challenge Venture Competition, at the University of Portland on Saturday, April 29.

Dan Wieden

University of Portland to host Bauccio Lecture Series speaker Dan Wieden, Wed., Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

Franz Center

November 4, 2016

The University of Portland and the Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation will welcome Dan Wieden, co-founder & chairman of Wieden+Kennedy, on Wednesday, November 16 at 7 p.m. in the Bauccio Commons on campus.

Michael Williamson '18

Michael Williamson '18 competes at University Start Up World Cup

Business

Franz Center

October 18, 2016

University of Portland senior finance major Michael Williamson was awarded runner up in his category for his business venture, Sentri Performance, at the finals of the University Start-Up World Cup, held Friday, October 7, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Sentri Performance and Pro Social take top honors at the University of Portland’s 2016 $100K Challenge Venture Competition

Franz Center

April 28, 2016

Sentri Performance wins the for-profit venture competition with an innovative outdoor hoodie and Pro Social wins the social enterprise category for its focus on connecting non-profits with potential volunteers via social media.

University of Portland receives $75,000 from Elizabeth Cebula to help fund the Entrepreneur Scholars Program and the Dean’s Leadership Initiative

Business

Development

Franz Center

June 30, 2015

The University of Portland has received a $75,000 gift from Elizabeth Cebula, whose family has long and supportive ties to the University. Cebula’s gift will help fund the Entrepreneur Scholars Program and the Pamplin School of Business (PSOBA) Dean’s Leadership Initiative.

UP students Nick Ost and Paul Dilley win $100K Challenge Venture Competition with their business Townie Shades, a regionally inspired brand of sunglasses

Franz Center

April 28, 2015

University of Portland students Nick Ost and Paul Dilley placed first in the for-profit business category of the $100K Challenge Venture Competition, an expanded business plan competition hosted by the University’s Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation.