Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute Celebrates 20 Years of Shaping Northwest Iowa’s Future Entrepreneurs
News
Each August, 32 college students step away from their campuses to spend a week with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and mentors in the Iowa Great Lakes area. They tour companies, brainstorm business ideas, join pitch competitions, and ask questions that go beyond the usual classroom experience.
Students also stay with local entrepreneurs, seeing Northwest Iowa through the eyes of people who have built their careers and businesses in the region. This hands-on experience has been at the heart of the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute (OEI) for 20 years.
Local entrepreneurs started OEI in 2006, and it brings students from five Iowa colleges and universities to the Iowa Lakes region for an intensive, college-credit program focused on entrepreneurship. Students come from Buena Vista University, Iowa Lakes Community College, Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, Dordt University, and the University of Northern Iowa.
The program is a long-term investment in Northwest Iowa’s business community. Its impact goes beyond the week in Okoboji. Alumni have built mentor relationships, found internships and jobs, started businesses, and formed partnerships that last well after the program ends.
In September 2026, OEI was recognized as a program that takes a unique approach to enhancing the entrepreneurial culture in the Corridor with the Mid-America Economic Development Council’s Entrepreneurial Award. This award demonstrates the value and impact that OEI has made and will continue to make on northwest Iowa entrepreneurs.
OEI Connects Students With People Who Build Businesses
Entrepreneurship classes teach useful ideas and frameworks, but OEI gives students direct access to people who have faced the real challenges of starting and running a business.
During the program, students meet successful business owners, community leaders, and OEI alumni. They learn about startup management, marketing, and resources available to entrepreneurs.
Mentorship is a key part of the program. Students bring their own business ideas and get feedback from people who have faced similar challenges. This creates a space where students can ask tough questions, talk about problems openly, and get practical advice.
These relationships often last beyond the program.
OEI alumni have shared how these connections have led to:
- Mentorship and long-term business relationships
- Internships and full-time career opportunities
- Co-founder relationships and new ventures
- Investment opportunities for early-stage companies
- Greater confidence navigating business challenges
For students, these connections can shape their choices long after graduation. For the region, they help build relationships between new entrepreneurs and experienced business leaders.
The Program Brings Students Into the Community
OEI also introduces students to Northwest Iowa as a place where they can start a career or business.
Students live with local entrepreneurs and take part in business visits and community events. These experiences show them how companies work and let them meet people who are making a difference in the local economy.
A former participant remembered arriving at a welcome reception and noticing how many community members cared about the students, their business ideas, and their futures. This personal connection is central to the OEI experience.
The program also lets students experience the Iowa Great Lakes beyond the classroom. Activities on the lakes and events with local entrepreneurs help them see more of what life in the region is like.
This matters for economic growth because choosing where to work is about more than a job description. Students get to know the people, businesses, and communities that make Northwest Iowa a place where they might want to build their future.
Alumni Carry OEI Into Their Careers
What participants do after they leave may be the best way to measure a program like OEI.
"As an OEI alum myself, and now being on the planning side for eight years, I can personally attest to the impact that this program has on students as well as the community. Students make lifelong connections through this program, often resulting in opportunities to help them grow and build their own businesses," said Alyssa Petersen, Coordinator of Administration and Communication at Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation.
During the 20th anniversary, other alumni shared how OEI led them to internships, careers, startups, and lasting professional relationships. Some met future business partners through the program, while others found mentors who continued to support them as they made new business decisions.
One alumnus shared how lessons from OEI and other programs helped his company make a big change during COVID-19. Another talked about meeting a speaker at OEI, landing an internship, moving into a full-time job, and later starting a new business.
These are a small fraction of the impactful stories that show how connections made in just one week can shape career choices for years to come.
OEI also welcomes alumni back as mentors and coaches. This helps connect different generations of participants. Students get advice from people who were once in their shoes, and alumni can give back to the next group of entrepreneurs.
The result is a network that keeps growing as new students enter the program and past participants return to support them.
Community Leaders Invest in the Next Generation
Local businesses, sponsors, entrepreneurs, mentors, host families, and community members all give their time, knowledge, and resources. Since the beginning, sponsors from across Iowa and volunteers who open their homes, mentor students, and host events have supported the program.
This community involvement is central to OEI’s mission. Helping new entrepreneurs means giving them access to people who are willing to share their experiences.
During the anniversary, people recognized these contributions and how they have kept the program going for 20 years. Participants said this investment continues through alumni, mentors, sponsors, and businesses throughout the region.
For the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation and its partners, OEI is a direct way to connect young entrepreneurs with the Northwest Iowa business community.
OEI Looks Toward Its Next 20 Years
Celebrating 20 years gives OEI a chance to honor its history and keep working with the next generation.
The program's main goal remains to help young people explore entrepreneurship, build relationships with experienced business owners, and learn about opportunities in Iowa. Participants say the experience gives them confidence, practical knowledge, and connections that last into their careers. For Northwest Iowa, this links talent development with economic growth.
Some students go on to start their own businesses. Others join existing companies, come back to Iowa after graduation, or build relationships that lead to future business in the region. OEI gives each of them a chance to start with a direct connection to Northwest Iowa.
Join the Next Chapter of OEI
The next 20 years will rely on ongoing support from entrepreneurs, businesses, mentors, sponsors, and community leaders.
For 20 years, OEI has connected students with people and business opportunities in Northwest Iowa. In its next chapter, the program can keep bringing new entrepreneurs to the region and help them build relationships that shape their careers and companies.
Photos
More Topics
