Castleberry Grant

Edward “Hap” Castleberry Entrepreneurship Grant

A premier opportunity for Entrepreneurship majors is the Castleberry Grant. Funded by Xavier MBA alumnus Edward “Hap” Castleberry, the grant is designed to help students gain valuable entrepreneurial experience through an internship at a startup or small business.

Castleberry Benefits

Students get real-life experience working directly with upper management of a startup or small business
The demand for interns is high so students usually have their choice of several exciting companies to work with
Provides a proven way to gain early entrepreneurial experience
Potential lead to a second internship or on-going full-time employment
Helps connect students to non-profits or other companies that might not normally be able to fund internships
Ability to build your professional network

How it Works

Students apply via Ann Schmidt, Undergraduate Office Smith 128 (schmidta8@Xavier.edu)
Counts as 3-hour course credit for ENTR303 or ENTR403
Available three times per year, Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters
Resumes of accepted students sent to about 1,000 startups and small businesses in the Cincinnati area
Those companies contact students directly. Each student is usually contacted by 25-50 companies
Students work to find the ideal internship opportunity that meets their needs
The student notifies Ann Schmidt. Final paperwork submitted through Handshake
Students write two papers, one mid-term draft and one final, submitted through the ENTR303/403 Canvas site
The company writes review of student’s performance
Professor of record issues final grade
Student receives a $2,500 grant (tax-free) credited to their bursar account upon completion of the internship

Requirements

Entrepreneurship Major
Minimum 2.75 GPA
Prerequisite: ENTR301 and ENTR305
Endorsement of the entrepreneurship faculty
Open to Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Students work 200 hours during the semester for their company
Students are limited to one Castleberry while at Xavier

Edward “Hap” Castleberry (1932-2022)

Hap’s mother and father instilled in him a hard work ethic, the belief that you should follow your passions, and the duty to give back to your community. Hap helped run his family’s local dairy business, Cedar Hill Farms Inc until it was sold in 1963. He started his career as an entrepreneur in 1964. He proceeded to start and purchase small businesses to grow and develop. He successfully developed and sold more than twelve local companies in his career. (US Building Services, Inc, Coffee Break, Inc, Art Guild Book Bindery, Inc, Ohio Building Services, Inc, Ohio Coffee Services, Inc, E.F. Castleberry & Assoc, Inc, Imperial Adhesives, Inc, T-Shirt City, U.S Abatement Co.)

Hap was very civic-minded, supporting and volunteering for over fifteen non-profits, businesses, and academic organizations in Cincinnati. He was the founder and chairman of the Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame and a founder of the Greater Cincinnati Venture Association. He was appointed the chairman of the Cincinnati Citizens Committee on Youth, Junior Achievement of Greater Cincinnati, and the University of Cincinnati Economics Center for Education and Research. He delighted in helping young men and women learn business skills through Junior Achievement of Greater Cincinnati. His mother gave him the nickname “Happy” as a child, but he garnered the name “Hap” by his positive and friendly manner. He tried to create “Hap”iness wherever he hung his hat.

Hap attended The Summit Country Day School, graduated high school from Cincinnati Country Day School, graduated with a BA from Brown University, and received his MBA from Xavier University. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.