Landmark College launched LEAP in 2014 to provide students with support in developing business plans and pitching their idea for the possibility of prizes and/or seed funding. The response to LEAP has been tremendous and the program continues to expand and grow. Today LEAP is a well-known entity on campus and an arena in which to build, test, and develop programming to support neurodiverse talent through communication, innovation, and action.
Programs: The following are examples of the many programs that make up the LEAP network on campus.
- WLMC Landmark College Radio, (student life)—LEAP supports student-hosted programs, advertising, marketing, and enterprise development in DJ events, beats mixing, and podcasts for our nationally-recognized college radio station, which won the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System award for "Best Internet/Streaming College Radio Station (under 10,000 students)" in 2022 and 2023.
- VOICES TV—LEAP works directly with the college's television studio, supporting student creativity by providing resources to prepare students to communicate in their chosen field of study.
- LCVoices.com—Supports the innovative and creative ideas within student media.
- Career Connectionsc (academics)—Through Landmark College’s Career Connections, LEAP hires interns, work-study students, managers, and provides an essential bridge between outside employment and employee and management skill development.
- LEAP Club—Formed by Landmark College student entrepreneurs, this club sponsor trips, speaker series, workshops, and supports student entrepreneurs in their enterprise development and launching.
- MiniLab—The classroom comes alive in the student’s hands. Here students use video and editing equipment to make pitch and product videos, social media posts, and animation. They use digital photography for studio shots and even work on classroom projects.
- SharkPitch Competition—Each year our campus entrepreneurs have the chance to pitch for a shot at prize money and/or seed funding for a start-up idea. Training and coaching is provided by LEAP. Past Pitch winners include food delivery services, honey production, 3-D animation and virtual reality, security systems, and more. LEAP Pitchers may go on to pitch in other regional or national competitions.
- Entrepreneurship Conference Attendance—Each spring LEAP students board the Shark Bus and travel to the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Here students network with peers, pitch ideas, attend workshops, and find inspiration.
- Curricula—LEAP is tied in with the the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Entrepreneurial Leadership (BA-COMEL) degree and the Professional Studies Department. Many students taking classes in these areas can also get credit with work done with LEAP or using LEAP resources. LEAP is interdisciplinary and welcomes projects across campus including STEM and Fine Arts.
- Student Success Stories—Giving Hat Tree Project Brings Warmth to Community Members in Need (Brattleboro Reformer, December 2022)
Director: LEAP is part of the Professional Studies Department. Please contact Department Chair, Professor Eric Matte.
“Entrepreneurial-minded college graduates who are confident, creative and full of grit are in high demand in today’s world. Add the unique experiences of our neurodiverse student body with the LEAP program infrastructure, and you get a rich environment for those interested in exploring the development of new for-profit and not-for-profit ventures.”
–Dr. Loren Wehmeyer, Assistant Professor of Professional Studies