Biola University launched a new office this year dedicated to leveraging the intellectual and spiritual capital of Biola. Established within the Office of the Provost, the office is designed to develop innovation within all nine schools of Biola to ignite Christ-honoring innovation and entrepreneurship in students and faculty.

“The mission of the Office of Innovation is to ignite innovators and entrepreneurs across Biola in order to impact California and the world for the Lord Jesus Christ,” said Jordan Terranova, Office of Innovation director of operations.

The office, funded by a $1.3 million gift, will provide the financial, practical, social and mentorship support needed for faculty, staff and students to make creative solutions or ideas become a reality. The vision of the Office of Innovation is to catalyze innovators and entrepreneurs to flourish in their giftedness and build Christ-honoring, world-changing ventures. To help encourage faculty, staff and students to pursue innovative and entrepreneurial success, multiple grants and scholarships are available to the Biola community.

The Office of Innovation will oversee the Biola Startup Competition, an opportunity to compete for $20,000 in cash prizes, the Biola Entrepreneurship Society and the Praxis Academy strategic partnership, in addition to a number of soon to be announced projects. In the last 10 months, the office has already launched a course on Biola LEARN, consulted on numerous startup concepts, formed an internal academic advisory board and an external industry advisory board, provided a $10,000 Faculty Research Grant, and launched a $200,000 innovation scholarship for Biola undergraduate and graduate students.

The Office of Innovation works collaboratively with two advisory councils — the Innovation Academic Advisory Council (IAAC) and the Office of Innovation Industry Advisory Council. The IAAC is a collaborative group of innovative leaders from all fields and disciplines. The Industry Advisory Council is composed of external innovative leaders and works to help expand the Office of Innovation’s footprint globally and to keep its offerings current with marketplace trends. With Executive Director of the Office of Innovation Robert Harp’s passing, Senior Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Clark Campbell is providing leadership and oversight to the Office of Innovation alongside Terranova.

Learn more about Office of Innovation student opportunities, scholarships, and news.

Written by Joy Blea, public relations intern. For more information, contact Jenna Loumagne, assistant director of media relations and strategic communications, at jenna.loumagne@biola.edu.