Dooyema Center launches Project Elevate

The K & K Dooyema Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recently launched Project Elevate, an opportunity for Dordt University students to assist businesses with innovative business practices from a Christian perspective.

Project Elevate is able to help in many ways, such as assisting those interested in:

• Starting a new for-profit or non-profit business or organization
• Improving or creating a product or service
• Identifying and solving a difficult problem
• Identifying areas of opportunity
• Exiting or transitioning a business or organization
• Succession planning
• Retiring from a business or organization

Dale Zevenbergen, director of the Dooyema Center, sees Project Elevate as a win-win.

“Students get real world experience, and organizations get something done – something they might not have time to do otherwise,” he says. “Students get to spend time with business professionals, which provides them with relevant opportunities as well.”

“I think Project Elevate is an outstanding way to engage students, alumni, and the broader community,” says Kim Dooyema, who helped to establish the Dooyema Center in 2020. “For those who may have a great idea but may not have all the skills to start a business or to innovate within an organization, Project Elevate is meant to provide that missing link to help you achieve what you have a vision for.”

Zevenbergen says that Project Elevate is connected with partners locally, regionally, and internationally. Through Project Elevate, students have had the chance to conduct payroll and benefit reviews, job description creation, economic forecasting, proforma creation, data segmentation, public relations, website design, brand development, prototype design, stress testing, and much more.

“As much as possible, we try to involve students,” says Zevenbergen. “Case studies and simulations in the classroom are great, but Project Elevate provides students with a chance to work on a real project that could have positive long-term effects for businesses. And that makes for a great learning experience for our students.”

To learn more about the Dooyema Center and Project Elevate, visit https://www.dordt.edu/about-dordt/offices-and-services/academic-centers/k-and-k-dooyema-center-for-entreprenuership-and-innovation.

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.