Texas State renames its student entrepreneurship centre — and what the announcement leaves out

The McCoy College of Business Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has been renamed the Center for Student Entrepreneurship. The university says the new name better reflects a centre serving students at every stage — from first idea through launch — and at every level of study.

Existing programmes continue unchanged. The centre is directed by Quinn Valentine.

What the centre does

Hands-on workshops, mentorship, and help testing assumptions before money goes into an idea. It supports ventures across retail, technology, creative and service sectors — not only technology.

What the announcement does not cover: the F-1 visa and earning money

The university's announcement is written for domestic students, so it does not mention visas. For you this is the most important part, and where people trip.

The line between "learning and experimenting" and "working for income" is not always obvious, and crossing it affects your immigration status — which costs more than any student venture's first revenue is worth.

We do not give immigration advice, and you should not take immigration advice from any education agency. Before your project earns its first dollar, book time with the university's International Student and Scholar Services office and ask about your specific case.

So should you get involved

Yes, and early. Even if you never start a company, what the centre teaches — testing assumptions, interviewing customers, pitching to strangers — is exactly what an internship application tends to lack, and is not something a lecture course provides.

• Attending workshops and mentorship: no visa implications.
• Putting the project on your CV and discussing it at interview: entirely normal.
• Taking revenue, paying yourself, signing client contracts: stop and ask ISSS first.

See business programmes, student life, or the F-1 visa and I-20 page.

Source: Center for Student Entrepreneurship rebrand, news.txst.edu, 15 September 2026. The section on F-1 work limits reflects US federal regulation; it is here so you know what to ask about, and does not replace guidance from the university's international student office.