What is the CSE?

Welcome to the Center for Student Entrepreneurship (CSE)!

The Center for Student Entrepreneurship works to support students and entrepreneurs with their ventures. The center holds various programs to develop the mindset and skills needed for entrepreneurs and innovators to become successful.

Previously under the name of the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), the center is now under the official name of the Center for Student Entrepreneurship (CSE) to better reflect the center’s role. The CSE serves students of all degree levels including undergraduate, graduate, and PhD candidates.

We will continue to host hands-on workshops, markets, and more! The next Workshop Wednesday will be held September 16th at the CSE Gathering Space, where speakers will be giving a presentation titled “Sales - more than a winning smile” Our next Bobcat Bazaar will be held Thursday September 24th at the LBJ Mall.

On the third floor of Alkek Library, the Center for Student Entrepreneurship has a “Gathering Space” where students can attend various events hosted by the CSE. 

Following the mission of “preparing the next generation of founders to build ventures that matter,” the CSE is a center within the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University.

While fulfilling the mission of the CSE, the ultimate vision of the center is to be a self-sustaining hub at Texas State where the community can access resources and programming. 

The support from the McCoy College of Business and the Texas State University community assists in meeting the needs of the innovators and entrepreneurs. The resources and events will assist in launching, growing, and developing the community’s innovators.

Events

The CSE holds a variety of events throughout the school year to help student innovators learn more about entrepreneurship and to gain guidance. Recurring events include Workshop Wednesdays, Topic Tuesdays, and the Bobcat Bazaar.

All-year events include various CSE Gathering Space Events, Bobcat Bazaar, and Student Made pop-ups. Student Made launched in the Fall 2025 and is a platform similar to Etsy, but designed for students only. On this platform you can shop products from student businesses selling a variety of things such as jewelry, crocheted items, and more!

In the spring semester the CSE launched two new programs - the Open Penny Founder’s Table and the Campus to Community Launch Fund (C2C). 

The Open Penny Founder’s Table is an invitation-only program that is for student entrepreneurs actively building and growing their business. The students attended meetings to discuss ways to further grow their business, overcome failures, and learn from successes.

The C2C Launch Fund allows selected student founders to pitch their program for the opportunity to gain a non-equity grant for early business development. The founders will also gain mentorship to further grow their venture.

Be on the lookout for upcoming events and new programming provided by the CSE.

Follow us on all our socials - LinkedIn and Instagram to stay up to date on all things CSE. To find our events list, visit our events page.

Community members, faculty, and staff are invited to learn more about the center and its transition by visiting our website or contacting director of the CSE Quinn Valentine, quinn.valentine@txstate.edu and program coordinator Kendall Perkinson, kendallperkinson@txstate.edu 

We look forward to seeing you at future events!

Mission

The Texas State Center for Student Entrepreneurship (CSE) exists to prepare the next generation of founders to build ventures that matter. We serve students who embody the true spirit of Texas - hardworking, resilient, and driven to turn ideas into action. Through an intentional progression of hands-on programming, mentorship, and real-world experiences, we equip entrepreneurs with the skills, confidence, and support to move their ventures from campus into the regional and state economy, where they create jobs, generate revenue, and strengthen communities. While our primary focus is developing student founders, we also foster entrepreneurship across the broader Texas State and regional communities, strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout Texas.

Vision

To be nationally recognized for developing quality entrepreneurs defined by grit, determination, and execution, by empowering Texas State students to build businesses that create opportunity, strengthen the Texas economy, and inspire the next generation of founders.