The experiences listed below are pre-approved for the Distinction in Entrepreneurship and can be completed at any time after you have signed up for the River Hawk Experience Distinction (RHED) program.

  • Idea Challenge: Apply to and submit the Idea Plan to the Idea Challenge and present it to the DifferenceMaker board.
  • DifferenceMaker Workshops: Attend and participate in a minimum of 3 spring semester workshops.
  • DifferenceMaker Boot camp: Attend and participate in all summer Boot Camp sessions.
  • DifferenceMaker Hawkathon: Attend and participate in a 24-hour Hawkathon.
  • College-based competition: Apply to and submit an executive summary to one college-based entrepreneurship competition AND present it to the DifferenceMaker board.
  • Co-op / Internship: Work a minimum of 1 semester with one of the following: DifferenceMaker, Innovation Hub, New Venture Development, Office of Technology Commercialization or Massachusetts Medical Device Development (M2D2) Center.
  • Global DifferenceMaker: Apply to and participate in the Global DifferenceMaker program.
  • 'Idea Showcase' a Product-ive Experience for Business Students: Group project and showcase in Asst. Prof. Denise Dunlap's New Product Development course.
  • Entrepreneurship & Leadership LGST Course in Belfast, Northern Ireland: Students will examine the intersection of law and entrepreneurship in an effort to understand the role and effect of laws on entrepreneurship practice and the decision to create or pursue a new venture. 
  • Create your own business or company: Develop, organize and run your own business. Assume the risks of your own business.
  • Class Project: An individual or group project specifically related to the Distinction completed during a UMass Lowell class ( that is NOT being used as a course requirement for the Distinction).
  • Faculty-led Thesis Research: Complete your project/paper/experience as part of a team, with a partner, or as a solo endeavor with the support of your mentor or faculty member.

Option: Students may propose a custom-designed experience

  • Submitted by student to reflect their individual experiences
  • Must meet at least half of the Distinction's learning outcomes
  • Individual request approval is managed by the RHED committee members