Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship

Ladies First Founders is the Dingman Center’s one-credit spring semester course for female and non-binary students interested in entrepreneurship. Taught by Sara Herald, champion of our Ladies First Initiative, the course helps students build soft skills for overcoming gender biases in entrepreneurship. Students do not need to have launched a venture, as the focus of the course is on demystifying entrepreneurship. The syllabus includes a blend of skill-building workshops and networking events. Topics include the how to’s of networking and mentorship, finding balance as a founder/student/human, overcoming imposter syndrome, startup pitching and body language, funding and how to get it, and more.

Read on to learn more about this cohort’s exciting student founders and some of their businesses!

Yemi Ikotun ’23 (Business Management)
“I signed up for the Ladies First Founders class because I’m surrounded by female entrepreneurs in my life and I wanted to learn more about what inspired them!” -Ikotun

Terriana Jones ’25 (Architecture)
“I hope to gain knowledge about the entrepreneur world from the perspective of woman. I would also like to build my entrepreneurial mindset!” -Jones

Luo Nanxin ’24 (Finance and Information Systems) – EFuxion Studio
We are a company that focuses on the development of voice synthesis software in collaboration with major companies for music composers and educational facilities. We also provide a virtual male icon in accordance with our software, providing the project the duality of both Technology Software and Virtual pop singer idols.

“[I signed up for Ladies First Founders because] I want to build up connections with more talented women entrepreneurs on campus and learn how to launch a business systematically.” -Nanxin

Jordan Marshall ’23 (Marketing and Technology Entrepreneurship)
“I joined the Ladies First Founders class to gain knowledge that would help me turn my entrepreneurial dreams into actionable plans.” -Marshall

Syona Mehta ’25 (Public Health, PreMed)
“I signed up for Ladies First Founders to become inspired and empowered to follow my dreams.” -Mehta

Michael Ndiaye ’22 (Finance)
“From BMGT369D I hope to gain more perspective into the POV of being a female entrepreneur, and the struggles that come with it.” -Ndiaye

Kamsiyonna Ogochukwu Obiora-Offor ’22 (Operations Management, Business Analytics and Technology Entrepreneurship) – ANY Art Collective
ANY Art Collective is an Art Zine that focuses on highlighting Black and POC artists.

“I want to learn more about the process of launching a business and take more steps to developing my own.” -Obiora-Offor

Takiyah Roberts ’25 (Material Science Engineering)
“I wanted to take Ladies First Founders to learn more about what it means to be a female entrepreneur. I also took this class to learn how to overcome the struggles that come with being a black woman in the field of entrepreneurship.” -Roberts

Keying Sun ’23 (Statistics)
“I hope to learn the intelligence and power of women, and I want to know other people’s ideas on starting business.” -Sun

Benis Tambe ’23 (Information Science and Technology Entrepreneurship)
“As member of Ladies first founders, I hope to learn what is needed to start a business.” -Tambe

Beniyam Berhan

Mia Lulli ’23

Isela Sanchez ’22