There’s No Stopping the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship
University of Houston Entrepreneurship Program Ranked No. 1 for Sixth Year in a Row
The University of Houston’s Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship in the C. T. Bauer College of Business once again has been named the best entrepreneurship program for undergraduate students in the United States, according to recently released 2025 Princeton Review rankings.
This is the sixth consecutive year the Wolff Center has been named No. 1 in the annual ranking, but it has earned the prestigious title a total of nine times, and has been ranked No. 1 or No. 2, 16 of the last 18 years. It’s an honor the program’s namesake, Cyvia Wolff, said is extraordinary for students all around the University of Houston.
“What I love is the entrepreneur program is spanning the whole campus,” Wolff said. “I am so proud of how the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship has grown and how it’s learned from its mistakes. It’s just gotten better and better and better.”
The Bauer program consistently places ahead of such prestigious schools as the University of Texas and Babson College (second and third in last year’s ranking), but Wolff Center Executive Director Dave Cook said its success is never taken for granted.
“We’re grateful and appreciative for The Princeton Review ranking, which is in large part a reflection of tremendous community support,” Cook said. “We are blessed to be in a city filled with entrepreneurs, where the wildcat spirit still is alive and well.
“We’re able to tap into that energy when we bring in professors, when we bring in mentors, when we bring in class speakers.”
Cyvia Wolff, Philanthropist
Cyvia Wolff, Philanthropist
Dave Cook, Executive Director of the UH Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship
Dave Cook, Executive Director of the UH Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship
UH President Renu Khator praised the ranking as a fitting recognition of a program that delivers transformative education and practical business experience to its students.
“This program is a tremendous asset not only to the University of Houston and the Bauer College of Business, but also to the city of Houston, where entrepreneurship fuels both socioeconomic mobility and economic growth,” Khator said. “We are proud to see the impact of this program reverberate throughout our community.”
Khator continued, “Holding the No. 1 ranking for the sixth consecutive year speaks volumes about the commitment and excellence of our students, faculty and staff. It also reflects the power of generous support from the Wolff family and other donors who believe in our vision. We are deeply grateful for their invaluable contributions that make this success possible.”
“Holding the No. 1 ranking for the sixth consecutive year speaks volumes about the commitment and excellence of our students, faculty and staff.”
- President Renu Khator
Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship students sit in on a lecture.
Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship students sit in on a lecture.
The Princeton Review’s annual ranking of nearly 300 U.S. business schools with entrepreneurship programs evaluates approximately 40 data points, including career outcomes, business success and experiential opportunities.
The most significant measure of success is the number of businesses that are created. Wolff Center alumni have created more than 2,000 businesses in the last 10 years, and there were more than 4,000 UH students taking entrepreneurship classes during the 2023-2024 academic school year. More than 630 mentors from the business community contribute hours and expertise, ensuring students have support as they work to create viable businesses.
The Wolff Center was established in 1991 with an elite cohort of 30 to 40 students who create businesses under the guidance of seasoned mentors. Core values woven into the experiential curriculum infuse a myriad of entrepreneurship education options now available at UH.
Students from 95 majors attend Wolff Center classes and programs, and the Bauer College of Business offers certificate, undergraduate and graduate level entrepreneurship degree programs. The Wayne B. Duddlesten Free Enterprise Institute, established at Bauer in 2024, provides would-be business owners with website-building resources, legal services and other tools they need to get an idea from concept to market.
A Founders’ Club with student-led roundtables brings in speakers from specialized fields, sowing a synergistic community that supports entrepreneurship endeavors. Bauer’s RED Labs Summer Accelerator breathes life into startups and their stakeholders.
UH students also benefit from the Wolff Center’s outreach to would-be entrepreneurs in the larger community as they interact with and teach high school students attending summer entrepreneurship camps in the Rio Grande Valley or do research and coach women in EWOP (Empowering Women Out of Prison).
The funding of such programs, not to mention numerous pitch competitions, scholarships and other endeavors designed to instill an entrepreneurial ethos into all corners of the campus, relies on supporters who ultimately believe in the Wolff Center program’s ability to change lives, Cook said.
“There are things that go beyond money and profit and business,” he said. “Do you know your values? Do you have dreams? Do you have a vision for your life? And can we set goals to get you there?”
Cook added: “That is the crux of our program. We’re not just producing good business leaders, we’re producing good people, good citizens. It’s an investment our donors believe in, and we do our best to honor.”
Students Turning Ideas into Businesses
The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship is home to numerous exceptional students, each of whom have already started their own businesses as part of the program.
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Senior Evie Vuong’s business is the Venus Market, a thrift market that focuses on promoting local women-owned businesses.
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Evie Vuong
Evie Vuong
Evie Vuong is Pursuing her Passions
Q: What brought you to the University of Houston?
A: Actually, it was the Wolff Center. In high school, I took a tour of the Bauer program – I always knew I wanted to do business – and during the tour, I learned about the Wolff Center.
I Googled it when I got home, and I knew I wanted to be part of the program. Ever since, I’ve been dead set on the University of Houston.
Q: What is the Venus Market?
A: It’s a women-based vintage thrift market. I host it every month – usually on the third Saturday of the month – and it’s all about supporting local, women-owned small businesses and promoting sustainability.
Q: How did you come up with the idea?
A: All of my clothes are thrifted. I’ve always loved thrifting. I truly believe that we have enough clothes for everybody, so I’m all about second-hand shopping.
I was deeply involved in that community and knew women who resold clothes, and I found the venue space through Wolff. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do any of this without the Wolff program.
Q: What are your long-term aspirations?
A: I would love to scale up the Venus Market. Right now, we have 12 vendors. I want to get a bigger venue and host up to 40 vendors.
I would like also like more experience before I open my long-term business. So, that could be getting a corporate job after graduation, whether that be in marketing, product development or entrepreneurship.
But after that, I want to open my own restaurant. That’s my dream goal.
Q: How have mentors helped you in the program?
A: Personally, my favorite part of the Wolff Center is the mentor program. All 28 students are assigned a mentor. My mentor, Wendy Lee, is the sweetest woman I know. They matched us so perfectly; she’s like my twin flame. Without her, the Venus Market wouldn’t be a thing. She’s a developmental coach for young women, specifically. When she met me, I was in a tough place in life, and she coached me to where I am now. She introduced me to a lot of strong, powerful women who were once in my place. I can't thank her enough.
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Senior Daniel Sadegi teamed up with his father to start Eurolux Doors, a door company that sells modern luxury doors in Houston.
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Daniel Sadegi
Daniel Sadegi
Daniel Sadegi is Opening Doors to his Dreams
Q: What brought you to the University of Houston?
A: I actually moved to Houston from Connecticut. My brother came here first to study architecture. I looked into it, and I saw the business school. I thought Bauer would be a great opportunity for me.
Q: Why did the Wolff Center catch your interest?
A: I saw it was a great community for young entrepreneurs and like-minded individuals to network and get connected to each other. The program has a lot of projects and experiential learning.
I volunteered for Wolffest, which is how I learned about the program. I immediately fell in love with the program.
Q: What makes you want to become an entrepreneur?
A: My dad’s an entrepreneur. I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur because I look up to him – he’s my hero. He had a few businesses in Connecticut, so now that we’re in Houston, we’re starting our own together. We’re starting a door business called Eurolux Doors; we’re introducing a new line of luxury doors to Houston.
Q: Talk to me a little about how the plan came together.
A: While we were in Connecticut, my dad had a connection who sold those doors.
It’s a company called Belldini Doors in New Jersey. They’re very successful and have a big online presence, and we could see that the biggest traffic they get is from the East Coast and Texas.
We were able to strike a deal with them and bring their doors here to Houston.
Q: How did the Wolff Center help you plan this?
A: The Wolff Center prepares you for life. There’s a values class in which they sat us down and had us write out 100 dreams. It made me prioritize what I wanted in life; it helped me realize some things are helping me achieve my goals and others are not. I was able to cut out the things I didn’t need and pursue what I do need.
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