PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Nov. 20, 2025) – Prairie View A&M University senior Jayla Stanford, already the successful business owner of TreatsDippedByJay, is not alone in her success.
Instagram: treatsdippedbyjay
Finance major Alexander Hernandez has been developing a consulting initiative. He is still working on finalizing relevant trademarks and registration but is already managing three clients.
They’re just two of the many PVAMU students building their own ventures while pursuing their degrees.
PVAMU continues to be a launching pad for student entrepreneurs, providing support, mentorship, and programs that turn ideas into thriving ventures.
College of Business Interim Dean Dr. Aneika Simmons, in her welcome message on the college website, shares a unified vision: to continue to be a premier business program recognized for its excellence in teaching, research, and service. The focus is to develop leaders with the goal of transforming students across all backgrounds into successful entrepreneurs who thrive in the global marketplace.
Inside the College of Business: A Hub for Future Entrepreneurs
Under that umbrella, the College of Business offers more than 10 minors, including Entrepreneurship, for those interested in being their own boss, offering a valuable foothold in the cutthroat world of business for the mavericks, pioneers, and fearless future business leaders.
Alexander Hernandez
Moreover, the COB’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, which was established with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, aims to support PVAMU entrepreneurs’ endeavors.
The center is what stood out to Hernandez, who also minors in Entrepreneurship.
“It’s a place that feels alive with people who think differently,” he says. It’s full of curious minds, open conversations, and ambitions that collide in the best way. Everyone there wants to build something, not for the sake of competition, but for impact.”
At Prairie View, Hernandez is not just earning a degree; he is gaining a new perspective and paradigm.
“I stopped seeing problems as walls and started seeing them as blueprints,” he said. “That’s what led me to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor. It isn’t theory; it’s movement. It’s where ideas actually get tested, shaped and turned into something real.”
Why Minors Matter
A minor often complements a student’s major, offering a way to explore a personal interest or gain a specialized skill set that enhances their career path.
“A minor not only enhances your knowledge and broadens your skill set, but it also shows potential employers that you’re driven and well-rounded,” according to the National Society of High School Scholars.
At PVAMU, there are 1,696 students currently enrolled in minor programs, with more than ten enrolled in the Entrepreneurship minor.
National studies show that while a minor isn’t a guarantee of a job, it can make a difference. Employers say they value skills and relevant coursework just as much as a student’s major, according to surveys by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
“The continued advancement of knowledge and technology requires students to have skills and abilities in several key areas, making minors an important resource for students as they pursue a well-rounded education, career readiness, and increased marketability,” Interim Dean Simmons said.
According to the ICEED Office of Innovation-Entrepreneurship (OIE), PVAMU has produced over 70 entrepreneurs, 50 startups, and hosted more than 20 competitions that provide hands-on, real-life experiences for students.
“The goal of our Entrepreneurship minor is to prepare students for today’s rapidly changing technological landscape and dynamic markets by strengthening their capacity for innovation, strategic thinking, and value creation,” Interim Dean Simmons said.
Innovative Entrepreneurs
Hernandez, a Houston native, said his drive to fix, build, and improve has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve worked my whole life, as far back as I can remember,” he said. “Even as a kid, I was always in the middle of something that needed fixing, figuring out better ways to make things run.”
He says he has never been the type to sit still, always asking the question, “How can this be improved?”
That question has followed him everywhere to this day.
After graduation, Hernandez plans to work in finance and consulting while continuing to build ventures that support small businesses and promote local economic growth. In the long term, he aims to create a unified community space that seamlessly blends culture, design, and opportunity.
“A place that connects people, encourages walkability and brings together small and large businesses to create lasting impact,” he said. “This minor gave me the tools and confidence to see how ideas like that can actually happen.”
Hernandez isn’t the only one turning ideas into impact. Across campus, more PVAMU students are finding their entrepreneurial footing through the minor’s mix of creativity and strategy.
PVAMU Junior Management Major R’Tyvia Lavan is already a business owner. At Prairie View, she is combining education from her business classes with her real-life, experiential knowledge, as both a student and an entrepreneur.
After graduating, Lavan aims to become a licensed aesthetician and owner of what she calls a “one-stop spa,” where people can relax, recharge, and feel beautiful inside and out.
“My goal is to run my business with confidence and purpose, creating a space that inspires self-care, positivity, and empowerment in everyone who walks through the door,” Lavan said, who is also minoring in Entrepreneurship.
Reagan Culclager, a senior majoring in Business Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship, is working toward eventually opening her own law firm. Although she does not currently own a business, Culclager said her coursework is helping her build the foundation to start one in the future. More than that, it gives her confidence that she can turn that dream into reality.
Reagan Culclager
Culclager credits the program, and especially courses taught by Professor Philip Bouchard, with shaping her entrepreneurial mindset. “His lessons have taught me key fundamentals of entrepreneurship that have been both entertaining and impactful,” she said.
Tristan Jackson, another student in the Entrepreneurship minor program, has always been sales-oriented. During his freshman year, he said he found himself constantly searching for popular products to resell until he had an epiphany.
He can create that viral product and be his own boss.
“That realization sparked my passion for entrepreneurship and gave me the confidence to turn ideas into action,” he said.
Currently, he has his own beverage company, which he founded as a student, Peu Flava Tops, which he plans to continue scaling after graduation.
“My goal is to build innovative, community-driven ventures that create opportunities for others and leave a lasting impact,” Jackson said.
An Inspiring Generation
Together, these students represent a new generation of PVAMU innovators: bold thinkers shaping businesses that serve their communities and redefine what it means to be a Panther entrepreneur.
From startups to social ventures, PVAMU students are proving that great ideas can grow anywhere when given the right support. The Entrepreneurship minor helps turn passion into purpose by connecting students with the skills, networks, and opportunities to launch what’s next.
To explore the Entrepreneurship minor and other programs in PVAMU’s College of Business, visit pvamu.edu/cob.
By Christine Won
-PVAMU-