Stories & Updates

The University of Delaware proudly welcomes the 2025–2026 Siegfried Fellows—the program’s largest and most diverse cohort since its inception five years ago. Drawn from across UD’s colleges and disciplines, these emerging leaders will spend the next ten months refining their capacity to Lead Change. Be Nimble. Cultivate Character.

Horn Entrepreneurship recently honored Dave Raymond with the 2024 Siegfried Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Nasir Young with the 2024 Student Award at a private dinner and award ceremony. The Siegfried Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership recognizes exceptional individuals who have not only shown themselves to be stewards of innovation through significant contributions to the leadership ecosystem, but have also made a significant positive impact on their communities and industries.

Effective leadership in the dynamic world of innovation and entrepreneurship is essential, driving both growth and creativity. At the heart of this leadership is the ability to lead oneself before guiding others. The Siegfried Fellows program is founded on this principle. Meet the 2024-2025 cohort of Siegfried Fellows.

Are you a student leader looking to take your skills to the next level? Are you eager to make a tangible impact on your campus and beyond? Look no further than the Siegfried Fellows program. The Siegfried Fellows program is a highly selective, cohort-based, 10-month immersive experience tailored for students with leadership aspirations. Its curriculum aims to enhance self-awareness and personal growth, foster connections with regional leaders, and ignite a drive for positive change. Participants are aspiring leaders striving to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets, resilience, and creative problem-solving skills, all while nurturing their character virtues.

(This article was originally published by University of Delaware's Lerner School of Business as part of their Seeing Opportunity series.)

This year, the UD Alfred Lerner College welcomed several new faculty members into its community. Johann Ducharme is an assistant professor of entrepreneurship and a faculty director of the Siegfried Fellows Program; he spoke with Lerner about his research focus and why he chose to join the University of Delaware.

The 2023 Siegfried Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership Workshop & Dinner was a grand event that brought together aspiring entrepreneurs, established business leaders, innovators from various industries, and University of Delaware students. Held on October 3 at the prestigious Wilmington Country Club, this annual gathering provided a platform for participants to engage in meaningful discussions, gain valuable insights, and to recognize individuals for outstanding contributions to the entrepreneurial leadership ecosystem.

On November 10, Horn Entrepreneurship and The Siegfried Group hosted the 2022 Siegfried Award for Entrepreneurship Leadership Event to recognize individuals for demonstrating excellence in leadership and outstanding contributions to the understanding and practice of entrepreneurial leadership.

Horn Entrepreneurship offers many opportunities for you to make the most of your tuition! Its home, the Venture Development Center (VDC), is open to anyone at UD. Whether you have an idea or not, you can participate, network, be inspired and learn.

In the spaces of creative disruption where entrepreneurs operate, the skills of effective leadership have always been of key importance, and are inextricably tied to the spirit of innovation. However, before anyone can even begin to become a leader of others, they must first learn to lead themselves.