Johann Ducharme Awarded New Grant That Focuses on Entrepreneurial Leadership and Character

Johann Ducharme ECI award graphic

article written by Horn Entrepreneurship

Johann Ducharme, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and faculty director of the Siegfried Fellows, was awarded a $50,000 grant from The Educating Character Initiative (ECI), a part of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, for the project “Institutional Consensus of Character Education at the University of Delaware.”

The aim of this 12-month grant is to conduct an institution-wide, strategic consensus of the leadership and character work currently underway and begin assessing for the collective impact of academic, extra-curricular, and athletic programming. The Capacity-Building Grant will fund activities such as strategic gatherings of UD leadership educators, programming led by character scholar-experts, and a convening for entrepreneurial leaders across Delaware.

“The future hope is to facilitate and integrate the collective efforts of leadership, entrepreneurship, and character formation at UD, building upon the structures and processes to create an institutional exemplar for state flagship universities,” said Ducharme.

Ducharme’s research sits at the cross-section of entrepreneurship, leadership, and intellectual virtues with particular emphasis on fostering intellectual humility in entrepreneurs and future leaders. “Intellectual humility is understood as a virtuous ability to remain aware and own one’s intellectual limitations,” said Ducharme. “In short, a willingness to admit ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I might be wrong.’”

Lerner International Student Stories: Mansi Gupta

Mansi Gupta is pursuing her master of science in business analytics & information management and is expected to graduate in May, 2025. Gupta, originally from India, shared why she chose to continue her studies at Lerner, and all of the opportunities the program...

Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Lauren Lee

Lauren Lee, a merchandise and retail business manager in Milton, Del., is pursuing her master’s of business administration and is expected to graduate between 2026 and 2027. Lee shared why she chose to continue her studies at Lerner, and specifically about her...

CEEE Announces Fall 2024 Stock Market Game Winners

Students across Delaware gained valuable insights into investing and personal finance by competing in the 2024 Fall Stock Market Game (SMG). The top-performing teams, who demonstrated both skill and strategy, were celebrated during a virtual awards ceremony on January...

Graduate Student Stories: Trinity Moody

Trinity Moody is from New Castle, Delaware and is expected to earn her MBA in 2026. She shared why she chose Lerner to continue her studies and some memorable moments in the program. Lerner: Why did you go back to pursue your graduate degree? Why did you choose the...

Lerner College Instructor Karen McDougal Lists Tax Tips for 2025

Like it or not, tax season is upon us, and most people cringe at the thought of filing their tax returns before the Tues, April 15, 2025 deadline. Karen McDougal, accounting instructor in the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics,...

Graduate Student Stories: Taylor Bond

Taylor Bond is expected to earn his MBA in finance from Lerner in 2025. He shared why he chose to continue his studies at Lerner, and specifically about his most impactful class in the program. Lerner: Why did you go back to pursue your graduate degree? Why did you...