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One of the clearest takeaways from both Brock Busby’s and Rose’s perspectives is that the EIR program offers more than inspiration. It offers meaningful guidance.

Through the program, students are not just told to think big. They are given the chance to work alongside experienced founders who help them evaluate ideas, refine priorities, and make practical decisions about what comes next.

In Rose’s case, that support helped her continue advancing uSwap while preparing for major opportunities, including the ACA Pitch Competition at the end of March. She is also developing her pitch deck and thinking through larger questions around growth, sustainability, and monetization.

This is the kind of support that moves a student’s idea into founder territory.

Rose also received grant funding from the Endeavor Foundation to support web development for the platform, a meaningful milestone that validates both the strength of the idea and her ability to carry it forward.

That funding has helped move uSwap closer to launch, with the platform nearing completion and expected to go live this spring.

It is one thing to have an idea. It is another to secure support, build strategically, and prepare to introduce that idea to the world.

That kind of progress reflects both Rose’s initiative and the type of ecosystem the EIR program is helping create.

What makes Rose’s story compelling is not just the venture itself, but the mindset developing along the way.

She is already thinking through questions many founders face, how a platform grows sustainably, what monetization model makes sense, and what the long-term future of the project could look like.

That is part of what makes the EIR program so valuable. It creates space for students not only to explore ideas, but to begin thinking like entrepreneurs.

The impact of the EIR program is not always easy to capture from the outside. Much of the most meaningful work happens through conversations, mentorship, and real-time feedback that help students keep moving forward.

At campuses across Western North Carolina, including Warren Wilson College, the EIR program is helping students move beyond theory and into action. It gives them the opportunity to test ideas, build confidence, and gain access to experienced mentorship while they are still in college.

Wendy Seligmann, MBA, Professor of Business and Chair of the Business Department at Warren Wilson College, sees that impact firsthand.

“Our courses in new venture development and social entrepreneurship give students the tools to think like founders, but the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program adds something equally important: access to people who have lived the entrepreneurial journey. That mentorship helps students test ideas, gain confidence, and begin turning concepts into real ventures while they are still in college.

The Entrepreneur-in-Residence program has significantly expanded the opportunities available to our students who are interested in entrepreneurship and social innovation. Having experienced founders on campus allows students to develop and refine ideas alongside people who have actually built ventures. That kind of mentorship not only strengthens individual projects, but it also helps cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit across campus.”

The Entrepreneur-in-Residence program has significantly expanded the opportunities available to our students who are interested in entrepreneurship and social innovation. Having experienced founders on campus allows students to develop and refine ideas alongside people who have actually built ventures. That kind of mentorship not only strengthens individual projects, but it also helps cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit across campus.”

Structured mentorship. Real accountability. Real traction.

Through collaboration with dedicated faculty, the EIR program helps inspire and support students who are building the future while still in college.

And for students like Rose, that future is already taking shape.