Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Entrepreneurial and innovative mindsets added to whatever you’re already studying. Open to every major, every year.
15
credit-hour minor, open to any major
More than 17 thousand dollars
awarded each year across the competitions
13
years of Distinguished Entrepreneur speakers
Student competitions
The Turner School runs three competitions a year, open to every ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ student. They aren’t steps in a sequence. Which one fits depends mostly on how far along your idea is, including whether you have one yet.
Dream
A good fit if you have an idea but nothing more than that yet.
Submit a one- to three-minute video about an idea, a problem you’ve noticed or something you wish existed. You don’t need a business plan, a prototype or a team.
¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Brave PitchDesign
A good fit if you’ve noticed a problem worth solving.
Present an idea that addresses one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals on a research poster, alone or in a team. Every entry receives a certificate, and selected posters are presented at a reception.
¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Ideas for GoodDevelop
A good fit if you want to build something real.
¿Û¿Û´«Ã½â€™s largest student venture competition. Round one is a two-page summary. Selected teams pitch at the Innovation Expo, where community judges help choose up to five finalists.
¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Big IdeaAcademic programs
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation minor is 15 credit hours and fits alongside any major: three core courses, plus two electives from one of three Pathways.
Visual Storytelling, Music Licensing and Contracts, Script Analysis for the Theatre
Introduction to Sustainability, Community and Public Health, Biotechnology and Society
Law and the Entrepreneur, Principles of Marketing, Organizational Creativity
If your major no longer fits, or you’re coming back after time away, the Interdisciplinary Innovation degree may be a way to finish a BA or BS Your academic advisor can tell you whether it’s a fit.
¿Û¿Û´«Ã½Bridge connects ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ students with alumni for career and entrepreneurial advice, for a single conversation or an ongoing mentorship.
For questions about the minor, the competitions or events, contact the Turner School at turnerschool@bradley.edu or (309) 677-1700.
Executive & Academic Director
Managing Director
Associate Director
Program and Budget Director
Advisory Council
The council brings together leaders from business and the community in Peoria and beyond, several of them ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ graduates.
Robert Turner
Founder, Turner Investment Partners
School founder
Carolyn Turner
Trustee, Turner Family Foundation
School founder
Stacy Brooks
Chief Executive Officer, SKB Cyber
Robert Drew
Managing Partner, Retail Strategy Partners
Jim Foley
Director, Turner Center for Entrepreneurship
Seshadri Guha
Founding Partner, CGN Global
Gregg Holst
CEO, CAS Holdings
Kathleen M.B. Holst
President, RCMS
Bob Siffermann
Retired Principal, Nascentis Group
Craig Thompson
Founder, Thompson Electronics Company
Norman Understein
Entrepreneur
Jennifer Zammuto
President, Heart of Illinois United Way
In the Peoria community
The Turner Center for Entrepreneurship works alongside the Turner School in the Peoria business community. The Turner School teaches ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ students. The Center advises business owners across the region through free consulting, the APEX Accelerator for companies pursuing government contracts, and the International Trade Center for companies selling overseas.
880
businesses started with Turner Center help since 2001
7,270
jobs created or preserved
180 million dollars
in client exports since inception
Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series
2026 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year
5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Hayden-Clark Peplow Pavilion
President and CEO, Luster Products Inc. The event is open to the ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ and Peoria communities, with RSVP required.
President and CEO, Luster Products Inc. He spoke at ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ on November 18, 2026.
2025
Komal Ahmad
Founder & CEO, Copia
2024
Shawn Seipler
Founder & CEO, Clean the World Global
2023
Jeff Hoffman
Founder, Booking.com
2022
Travis Rosbach
Inventor and founder, Hydro Flask
2019
Rob Angel
Creator, Pictionary
2018
Frank Shankwitz
Founder, Make-A-Wish Foundation
2017
Gene Landrum
Originator, Chuck E. Cheese
2016
Craig Culver
Founder, Culver’s
2015
Dave Alwan
President, Echo Valley Meats
2014
Nancy Brinker
Founder, Susan G. Komen and Race for the Cure; former U.S. Ambassador
2014
Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey
Founders, Barefoot Wine
2013
Michael DeLazzer
Founder, Redbox
2013
Jeff Hoffman
Founder, Booking.com
Our founders
The Turner School exists because of the support and generosity of Robert and Carolyn Turner, who endowed both the school and the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship. Their vision was to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation for students in every major, not only business students.
Robert, a ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ BS and MBA, founded Turner Investment Partners and chaired the University’s Board of Trustees. Both Robert and Carolyn continue to serve on the school’s Advisory Council.
You don’t need a business plan or a business background to get involved. The Turner School team can answer questions about the minor, the competitions and events.
Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
turnerschool@bradley.edu · (309) 677-1700
Business and Engineering Convergence Center, RLI Suite 1130
