Hiram College has appointed David Strukel, Ph.D. to serve as the Director of the Burton D. Morgan Entrepreneurship Center. In his new role, Dr. Strukel will manage the administrative and co-curricular activities of the Center, as well as the academic program.
Established through a grant from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, the Center integrates the concepts of entrepreneurship into the liberal arts through curricular and extra-curricular activities that help students develop skills such as critical thinking, curiosity, ethical awareness, ability to write and speak clearly, ability to draw and synthesize knowledge from diverse sources and apply to diverse uses, and insight into the human experience. Housed in East Hall with the Entrepreneurship Residential Learning Community, the Center has a designated lecture hall, an incubator classroom, offices, and meeting spaces.
Looking towards the future, Dr. Strukel’s goal is to further develop the strong foundation of the Center and increase hands-on opportunities for Hiram students in innovative ways.
“Entrepreneurship and undertaking projects have always been part of my professional life,” said Strukel. “Kay Molkentin, the former director of the Center, did a fantastic job developing the program and leading engaging activities for our students. I am excited to pick up where she left off and continue the growth of the program alongside Dave Kukurza, others at Hiram, and The Burton D. Morgan Foundation.”
After completion of his doctoral degree in media and communication studies at Bowling Green State University, Dr. Strukel came to Hiram College in January 2016 to teach courses in communication, journalism, sports journalism, and social media. Alongside teaching at Hiram, Dr. Strukel played a key role in the implementation of the College’s Tech and Trek™ 1:1 mobile technology program and continues to support the program by serving as a member of the planning committee for the annual Tech and Trek Conference. Additionally, Dr. Strukel worked alongside Michael Rebold, Ph.D., program director and assistant professor of integrative exercise science, and Andrew White, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, to design Hiram’s sport management major. Most recently, he worked with members of the information technology team to transform Hiram’s former radio station into a podcast studio, now widely used by faculty, staff, students across campus.
Aside from leading the Entrepreneurship Center, Dr. Strukel is conducting research with a colleague from Michigan State University on the success of nontraditional students going to graduate school. In addition to the piece that will be submitted to an academic journal, the pair plans to write a book in the future.
Learn more about the Burton D. Morgan Entrepreneurship Center at Hiram College.
by Jenelle Bayus
