Illinois College faculty and graduates have a long and successful history of entrepreneurship. Rufford C. Crampton, professor of mathematics and astronomy and acting president of Illinois College from 1877-1881, founded the Jacksonville Business College in 1867. The College later became known as Brown Business College and, at its peak, expanded to 19 business colleges throughout the Midwest. 

Jonathan Baldwin Turner, one of the first professors at Illinois College, recognized the need of farmers in Illinois to develop effective fencing for livestock. In the early 1830s, Turner began cultivating Maclura pomifera (the Osage Orange), developed and patented a planting machine, and sold Osage Orange seeds and plants to midwestern farmers creating effective hedge rows. The Osage Orange remained the primary method of fencing until the invention of barbed wire in the late 1860s and is the most single planted species in U.S. history. Among his many other social and political accomplishments, Turner is also credited with the creation of Land Grant Universities. Professors Crampton and Turner recognized a "pain" in the market — an unmet need that could be fulfilled with new products and inventions. 

Fast forward to present day Illinois College and professors continue to show students that entrepreneurship is still part of the fabric of Illinois College. Dr. Jeremy Turner’s company, Turner Scientific, provides cutting edge research and consulting services in auditory neuroscience. My vacation rental business, Peace on the Prairie, provides a living laboratory for students to study entrepreneurial practices in the vacation rental business. 

What characteristics does one need to become a successful entrepreneur? Entrepreneurs need to be creative and possess the ability to think outside of the box to find the ever-present new "pain" in the market. Successful entrepreneurs must be willing to take risks and they need to understand a few business concepts. Graduates of Illinois College are well positioned to be successful entrepreneurs. Through their study of the sciences, literature, languages, humanities, and social sciences, Illinois College students learn to approach issues from many different angles — to think outside the box. 

For many years, Illinois College has offered majors in the disciplines globally known as "business" including accounting, business administration, economics and finance. Although these majors serve graduates well, many graduates with other majors become entrepreneurs as their life moves forward after graduation. In 2013, Illinois College started an entrepreneurship minor to help provide non-business majors some of the basic tools to be successful as entrepreneurs. The minor includes courses in economics, accounting, entrepreneurship and management as well as a speaker series where students have the opportunity to talk with business owners and hear their entrepreneurial journey stories.

Recently, the College also expanded its "business" majors to include majors in agribusiness management, human resource management, marketing management and sports management. The list of Illinois College graduates who have become entrepreneurs is long.