University of North Carolina, Greensboro
ER-T2-5: Sustainable Enterprise

The Spartan Trader (ST) is a student-run retail store for first-hand consignments made by students, faculty, and staff. Built around experiential learning, ST provides students the opportunity to work and learn in this entrepreneurial environment through a variety of UNCG classes. Much like residencies and internships, the ST bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world application.

The ST places an emphasis on sustainability and locally sourced materials while also making a profit for the seller and store, which is a 50/50 split. The ST encourages all of the consignees, customers, and employees to be leaders in sustainable practices and buying local. The ST wants to serve as a model for other businesses looking to incorporate sustainable practices in a practical way.

The ST seeks to continuously improve on these themes year after year through constant education and support of resources on campus. Through selling items in the retail store, the consignees learn what the consumer is interested in and how to price their products. At the same time, the students learn all aspects of business that directly translate into self-employment skills.

The ST is operated through the Entrepreneurship Cross Disciplinary Programs (ECDP) Office in the Bryan School of Business and Economics at UNCG. The cross-disciplinary structure of UNCG’s Entrepreneurship program allows students from a variety of schools across campus to implement ideas at all levels of the store from marketing strategies to 5-year plans. See public notes for more detailed information on the courses involved with ST operations.

Information for this credit was received from Dr. Dianne Welsh, Spartan Trader Manager and Director of the UNCG Entrepreneurship Cross-Disciplinary Programs.

Information about the UNCG Entrepreneurship Cross Disciplinary Programs available here: http://bae.uncg.edu/ecdp/

CRS 421 Entrepreneurship Practicum in Apparel and Consumer Retailing: Store Operations (3:1:6) Pr. completion of 30 semester hours at UNCG. Operation of student-run on-campus retail store. Application of industry knowledge and skills to maintain financial success using appropriate customer service, inventory management, and merchandise display techniques. (Same as ENT 421).