Director's Message
Welcome to Our Spring 2024 Issue!
Over the past five years, Ciocca Center has built a plethora of student-facing programs to help students acquire the elements of an entrepreneurial mindset and start their own ventures. These include Mindset Scholars, Innovation Fellows, BEACH, Idea Lab, Prep School, Venture Virtuoso, and the Bronco Venture Accelerator.
Our approach to designing these types of programs follows a pretty consistent playbook. First, we engage with students to identify unmet needs. Then, we look for programs that meet similar needs that have worked either at SCU or elsewhere. Next, we engage a faculty advisor to help us establish learning outcomes and ensure our programs harmonize with academic offerings. Finally, and most importantly, we work with students in the design and implementation of our programs.
Perhaps the most important organization involved in our program design is the Ciocca Center Student Advisory Board (SAB). From the beginning, SAB has served as our representative of the “customer” and a source for unfiltered student feedback. SAB members often participate in pilot versions of programming, where we test different concepts prior to a broader rollout.
In this issue, we have reflection pieces from our two graduating co-chairs of the Student Advisory Board, Mubashir Hussain and Jodi Chui. Mubashir has served on the SAB since his first year at SCU and among other things, has helped us to develop the Innovation Fellows program (he was part of our first cohort!), worked to bring increased interdisciplinary participation in the annual Hack-4-Humanity event, and has developed the year-end Entreprelooza program. Jodi has been part of Idea Lab and Prep School and is a constant source of thoughtful ideas and feedback across the Center.
It’s easy to learn more about student-led entrepreneurship at SCU. Come mingle with a broad community of SCU entrepreneurs at the BVA Cafe event, held every third Thursday of the month at the BVA House just behind The Hut. On May 17th, join the annual SAB-led Entreprelooza in SCDI from 10am-2pm, or come watch our annual Business Pitch Competition (Lucas Hall 126 starting at 6pm).
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We hope you enjoy!
Keep reading,
Chris Norris, Executive Director
Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship |
Building an Entrepreneurial Student-Led Community  | Mubashir Hussain '24 joined Ciocca Center's Student Advisory Board as a 1st Year in 2020. Mubashir has seen first hand Ciocca Center's growth over his 4 years of investing in sharing an entrepreneurial mindset with the SCU community! Read here to see the past, present, and future of our Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center from the current Ciocca Center SAB Co-chair. |
Perspectives  | Professor Maria Kyrarini imagines a future where people and robots are creating together for human flourishing. Read here for her perspective into the kinds of ways that robotics can be utilized as a powerful tool and the ways students can prepare to work alongside AI and robots. |
 | Inspired by the women surrounding her, Jodi Chui '24 was drawn to entrepreneurship at an early age. Read here about Jodi's journey of further exploring her interest in starting a business through Idea Lab and Prep School and her role as the current Ciocca Center SAB Co-chair! |
Ciocca Center Presents...  |
People of all majors are welcome to come to Ciocca Center's annual Entreprelooza this May 17th! Pop in to learn more about Entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneurial Mindset at SCU. Enjoy a day full of speakers, panels, networking, and informational booths. Register here NOW!
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 | Check out our Monthly Entrepreneurs' Meetup! The BVA Cafe takes place every Third Thursday of the month at the BVA House (3230 The Alameda). This is where entrepreneurs, mentors, advisors and entrepreneurship curious gather. Click here to register! The next cafe will be on May 16th! |
Broncos, Actually  | Julia Benner '10 and Trevor Nelson '11, founded MissedFits to answer the retail industries inventory problems. Watch here to learn from Julia and Trevor's unique SCU journey, starting as undergraduate students, to launching their business through Ciocca Center's Prep School as invested alumni. |
 | Broncos Entrepreneurs Advisory Clinic Hours (BEACH) is crafted as an experiential program that has business and law students working together with mentors to help companies while furthering their own education and experience. If you're interested in joining our Fall Cohort, click here to find out more! |
 | The Bronco Venture Accelerator is currently recruiting this summer's cohort! The Accelerator empowers SCU entrepreneurs with the tools, accountability, and community to develop and grow for-profit businesses with competence, conscience, and compassion. Click here for more information! |
A Well-Lighted Place  | Do you have a paper accepted for publication/presentation at a conference/symposia or publication in a journal? Is It focused on an Entrepreneurial Topic? If so, consider applying for travel or publication support! Ciocca Center's travel or publication grant includes airfare, hotel, rental car and conference registration up to $3,000/project. Apply Now! |
 | Ciocca Center accepts Curricular Development Proposals on a rolling basis. The objective of this program is to support the development of new courses, modules, and programs that address themes that broadly relate to the topics of innovation and the entrepreneurial mindset. Learn more. |
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Upcoming Events
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March BVA Café + Prep School Kick-Off
4 p.m., Charney Hall Atrium, Santa Clara University
Bronco Ventures is bringing our community together - the March BVA Café will double as the kick-off for the 2026 Bronco Ventures Accelerator Prep School cohort!
Join founders, investors, mentors, students, alumni, and friends of the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem for an evening of networking, conversation, and community. Come meet and support the newest Prep School founders as they begin refining their ventures and preparing for top accelerators. Let’s welcome the next generation of innovators!
Thursday, March 12, 2026
4:00 – 7:00 PM
Charney Hall Atrium, Santa Clara University
Food & drinks provided
RSVP here!
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BVA Cafe
6:30 p.m., Lucas Hall, 738 Franklin Street Welcome to BVA Cafe, Bronco Ventures Accelerator’s Monthly Meetup where you can meet and mingle with fellow BVA entrepreneurs, mentors, advisors, and entrepreneurship-curious. Enjoy small bites while hearing updates from BVA Alumni and meeting new startup founders.
Lucas Hall, 738 Franklin Street
Terrace on the Third Floor if the weather is sunny
Lobby if rainy and cold |
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May BVA Café + Prep School Graduation Celebration
4 - 7 p.m., Lucas Hall 126, Santa Clara University
We are excited to share that our May BVA Café will be combined with a special celebration - the graduation of the 2026 Bronco Ventures Accelerator Prep School cohort!
Join us for an evening of networking, community, and inspiration as we recognize the founders who have spent the past months refining their ventures and building traction. Meet the graduating teams, connect with fellow founders, investors, mentors, alumni, faculty, staff, and students, and celebrate the next wave of innovation emerging from Santa Clara University.
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