Cannabis Entrepreneurship CUGS lights up student creativity and education
Students are blazing into a new industry, planting seeds for new opportunities and businesses. People who are looking to start a new venture in cannabis have a unique chance to develop their ideas through Rowan’s Cannabis Entrepreneurship Certificate of Undergraduate Study (CUGS) program, which is available online to all students.
Recreational use of cannabis became legal in New Jersey in 2021, meaning that the plant and its methods of consumption became decriminalized and legal within state borders. As of November, New Jersey is one of the 38 states where recreational use is legal, despite the fact that it’s not legalized at a federal level yet. Because of this, it also remains prohibited on Rowan’s campus.
Professor Ryan Crane is passionate about teaching young entrepreneurs about how to be successful as a business person in the cannabis industry by sharing his knowledge and experience in founding his own cannabis beverage business, Tempo. He’s providing his students with not only the technical information about the plant and its regulations and legal aspects, but also the ups and downs that come with creating and operating a business in this industry.
The biggest thing he realized while he was attending conferences and pitching his business, that there was something missing — an education about how the plant works and its history.
“What I learned is that there’s just a gap in education. I go to events and conferences and I found myself more and more pitching the category of pitching education over the pitching my brand,” said Crane.
This is where Rowan University’s cannabis program is closing the gap. With flexible, online classes, undergraduate students have the opportunity to understand the business side of cannabis commercialization and learn from industry professionals in different parts of the country.
During cannabis entrepreneurship courses, Crane works with his students on experiential learning and mentorship to allow their ideas and passions to flourish outside of the classroom.
“It’s more of like a hands-on incubator type program, where students will come with ideas to the course, and will shape those ideas…we understand the financial viability, the route to market, the commercialization, how it will scale, what the capitals need, all those really critical questions that you need to figure out early on in launching a business,” said Crane.
Ryan Ems, a senior exercise science major’s ideas included a “wellness hub” that includes activities like yoga, and sold beverages and food items that would contain CBD, a form of cannabis. Ems’ shop plans to grow and distribute cannabis as well.
“A little shop, like I have a yoga studio…a wellness space. I love a place where you can just…smoke in there but like maybe have a gym as well or some therapy services,” said Ems.
Ems found his inspiration while surrounded by ambitious, entrepreneurial students who shared his interest in cannabis. Being part of this community was crucial to his learning process, helping him to navigate and overcome the stigma often associated with ventures in the cannabis industry.
“They’re professionals, like their lawyers and doctors that you get to interact with. So that was a really great space for everybody’s brainpower to come together,” said Ems.
Students who are interested in the CUGS program are encouraged to sign up for cannabis related courses as registration approaches. Many of the classes are online, which allows them to be flexible when adding it into their schedule. Any student regardless of major is eligible to declare the CUGS and can do so by emailing entdegrees@rowan.edu.
The program is open to all majors and advisors are actively enrolling students. For more information, check out https://ent.rowan.edu/academics/undergrad/cugs.html or email entdegrees@rowan.edu.
Visit ent.rowan.edu to learn more about Entrepreneurship at Rowan.
Story by: Madison Miller
