Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Dream. Design. Develop.
Entrepreneurial and innovative mindsets added to whatever you’re already studying. Open to every major, every year.
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15
credit-hour minor, open to any major
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More than 17 thousand dollars
awarded each year across the competitions
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13
years of Distinguished Entrepreneur speakers
Student competitions
Three competitions, open to every student
The Turner School runs three competitions a year, open to every Bradley student. They aren’t steps in a sequence. Which one fits depends mostly on how far along your idea is, including whether you have one yet.
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Dream
Brave Pitch Competition
A good fit if you have an idea but nothing more than that yet.
Submit a one- to three-minute video about an idea, a problem you’ve noticed or something you wish existed. You don’t need a business plan, a prototype or a team.
About Brave Pitch -
Design
Ideas for Good Awards
A good fit if you’ve noticed a problem worth solving.
Present an idea that addresses one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals on a research poster, alone or in a team. Every entry receives a certificate, and selected posters are presented at a reception.
About Ideas for Good -
Develop
Big Idea Competition
A good fit if you want to build something real.
Bradley’s largest student venture competition. Round one is a two-page summary. Selected teams pitch at the Innovation Expo, where community judges help choose up to five finalists.
About Big Idea
Academic programs
Put entrepreneurship on your transcript
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation minor is 15 credit hours and fits alongside any major: three core courses, plus two electives from one of three Pathways.
Freelance Your Future
Visual Storytelling, Music Licensing and Contracts, Script Analysis for the Theatre
Human Systems and Social Impact
Introduction to Sustainability, Community and Public Health, Biotechnology and Society
Business Startup
Law and the Entrepreneur, Principles of Marketing, Organizational Creativity
Already have 90 or more credit hours?
If your major no longer fits, or you’re coming back after time away, the Interdisciplinary Innovation degree may be a way to finish a BA or BS Your academic advisor can tell you whether it’s a fit.
BradleyBridge alumni mentoring
BradleyBridge connects Bradley students with alumni for career and entrepreneurial advice, for a single conversation or an ongoing mentorship.
Meet the Turner School Team
For questions about the minor, the competitions or events, contact the Turner School at turnerschool@bradley.edu or (309) 677-1700.
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Executive & Academic Director
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Managing Director
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Associate Director
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Program and Budget Director
Advisory Council
Who advises the Turner School
The council brings together leaders from business and the community in Peoria and beyond, several of them Bradley graduates.
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Robert Turner
Founder, Turner Investment Partners
School founder
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Carolyn Turner
Trustee, Turner Family Foundation
School founder
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Stacy Brooks
Chief Executive Officer, SKB Cyber
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Robert Drew
Managing Partner, Retail Strategy Partners
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Jim Foley
Director, Turner Center for Entrepreneurship
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Seshadri Guha
Founding Partner, CGN Global
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Gregg Holst
CEO, CAS Holdings
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Kathleen M.B. Holst
President, RCMS
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Bob Siffermann
Retired Principal, Nascentis Group
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Craig Thompson
Founder, Thompson Electronics Company
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Norman Understein
Entrepreneur
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Jennifer Zammuto
President, Heart of Illinois United Way
Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series
Founders of Redbox, Booking.com and Culver’s have spoken here
Past honorees
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2025
Komal Ahmad
Founder & CEO, Copia
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2024
Shawn Seipler
Founder & CEO, Clean the World Global
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2023
Jeff Hoffman
Founder, Booking.com
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2022
Travis Rosbach
Inventor and founder, Hydro Flask
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2019
Rob Angel
Creator, Pictionary
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2018
Frank Shankwitz
Founder, Make-A-Wish Foundation
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2017
Gene Landrum
Originator, Chuck E. Cheese
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2016
Craig Culver
Founder, Culver’s
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2015
Dave Alwan
President, Echo Valley Meats
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2014
Nancy Brinker
Founder, Susan G. Komen and Race for the Cure; former U.S. Ambassador
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2014
Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey
Founders, Barefoot Wine
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2013
Michael DeLazzer
Founder, Redbox
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2013
Jeff Hoffman
Founder, Booking.com
Our founders
Made possible by Robert and Carolyn Turner
The Turner School exists because of the support and generosity of Robert and Carolyn Turner, who endowed both the school and the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship. Their vision was to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation for students in every major, not only business students.
Robert, a Bradley BS and MBA, founded Turner Investment Partners and chaired the University’s Board of Trustees. Both Robert and Carolyn continue to serve on the school’s Advisory Council.
Not sure where to start?
You don’t need a business plan or a business background to get involved. The Turner School team can answer questions about the minor, the competitions and events.
Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
turnerschool@bradley.edu · (309) 677-1700
Business and Engineering Convergence Center, RLI Suite 1130