John F. Scarpa Entrepreneurial Pathway
The John F. Scarpa Entrepreneurial Pathway includes a variety of events and resources to promote entrepreneurial thinking across Hawai'i Pacific University:
- A variety of competitions—such as Big Challenges (Hult Prize and others) and the Makerspace competition—designed to educate and inspire the entire student body. Mixers and other events will be a part of these competitions to help students meet potential teammates and bounce ideas.
- Appetite for Entrepreneurship - Lunch and learn with founders series - founders speak to students over an intimate meal.
- An Entrepreneur-in-Residence program: bringing seasoned entrepreneurs to HPU, offering students in-person or virtual access to expertise, advice, and insights into the challenges and opportunities of evaluating and testing entrepreneurial ideas through office hours and 1-on-1 meetings.
- Faculty Change Maker grants that incentivize and support faculty as they create multi-disciplinary and co-curricular opportunities for students.
- Alumni Entrepreneur Award: an award that recognizes the entrepreneurial success and the spirit of innovation among HPU alumni.
- The Scarpa Entrepreneurial Pathway Board, a working board designed to serve as a strategic body that guides the development and implementation of initiatives to foster innovation, mentorship, and entrepreneurial success.
Other: entrepreneurs in the spotlight - 'Ohana highlighting our campus and alumni founders
Past Events: August 2025
- Introduced Faculty Change Maker grants to incentivize and support faculty as they create multi-disciplinary and co-curricular opportunities for students.
- Formed partnership with Hult Prize
- Hired Graduate Assistant - worked on promotional materials
Past Events: September 2025
- Tabled at HPU's Club Carnival and Resource Fair - Scarpa Entrepreneurial Pathway Launch
- Established Appetite for Entrepreneurship, series of opportunities for students to meet with founders over an intimate meal
- Hosting our First Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Chris Hissom
- Gathered baseline survey data on entrepreneurial thinking
- 3 University 1000 pilot sessions:
- Social Impact: students pitch a non-profit to support, and then brainstorm a venture to address a UN SDG and pitch
Upcoming Events: October 2025
- October 3: Faculty Development Workshop
- October 6: Appetite for Entrepreneurship with Forrest Ching, Co-Founder of Hapa Drink Company
- October 18: Scarpa Change Maker Fellows Deadline
- October 22: Big Challenge Mixer and Talk Story with Chris Gooch & Giovanna Scholbi at ATM
- October 28: Appetite for Entrepreneurship with Rebecca Teresia, Founder of Sisu Media
Upcoming Events: November 2025
- Announcement of Faculty Grant winners
- Mid-November: Deadline for Alumni Award Nominations
- TBA: Appetite for Entrepreneurship
- Big Challenge Mixer and Talk Story
- First week of November: 3 more University 1000 sessions - new ventures in sustainability
- Residential Honors Pilot - community engaged entrepreneurial solutions
- Speaking with COO of Catholic Charities Hawai'i
Upcoming Events: December 2025
- Big Challenge Mixer
- Entries due for January HPU Big Challenge
- Discuss implementation of pilot courses
Upcoming Events: January 2026
- HPU Big Challenge Qualifiers - semifinals
- Kickoff Makerspace Challenge
- Pilot new courses and programs
Upcoming Events: February 2026
- HPU Big Challenge Finale
- Kickoff Makerspace Challenge
Upcoming Events: March 2026
- Makerspace Challenge Finale
Upcoming Events: April 2026
- HPU Social Impact Challenge