Discovering the Zen of the Idea

Editor's Note: The Zen of the Idea is a class offered in Drury's Entrepreneurship curriculum. This semester students reached out to the Missouri Hotel to help residents develop life skills. Dr. Burrell shares their experiences with The Mirror.

Our first-ever Entrepreneurship seminar, The Zen of the Idea---Beyond the Box has invited Jazmin Roman, Erica Juchems and Amber Perdue, all Edward Jones Scholars, to not only think outside the box, but to design the boxes out of which they thought.

The metaphorical symbol, something of a "mascot" for this course is a cartoon of a box turtle, sitting contemplatively beside his shell in the manner of Rodin's The Thinker.

In the spirit of a new work, in the initial session, Jazmin, Erica and Amber were presented new boxes of Crayolas (their first in many years).

The seminar used, as a text choreographer Twyla Tharp's, The Collaborative Habit with the staging of new works as metaphor for creative endeavors.

Loori's, The Zen of Creativity, prompted thoughts for "zenspirational" and "zentrepreneurial" strategies.

Theatre major and guest speaker, Will Hudson, shared a session on developing personal, professional and creative style with emphasis on seizing the moment, the opportunity as reflected in his experiences with Oprah Winfrey's television show and beyond.

Creative process was engaged through designing miniature, crayon-decorated boxes. Interweaving entrepreneurial principles, a subsequent session involved emerging ideas, individually and collaboratively, beyond the small boxes to larger ideas which led to the focus for determining an entrepreneurial project.

Following initial discussion with Claudia Moncada, Missouri Hotel case manager, a proposal was finalized for four sessions of "Confidence at Work" in collaboration with Hotel residents, Rachel Longrell and Lynn Buxton.

Assisting with the final mock interviews were Sheena Walters and Becky Roy Ahrens.

In the spirit of full circle creative collaboration, the project culminated with a Zen Tea at the Historic President's House. This forum provided a rich synthesis sharing by all involved.

All enjoyed oreo truffles from Sweet Treats, a project by Kay Osborne's students. Attending from The Kitchen, Inc. were Kippie Kutz, Director of Development, case managers Claudia Moncado and Michelle Legan and the "Confidence at Work " participants.

Also present were Jazmin, Amber, Erica, Dr. Kelley Still and Dr. Burrell.

This course concept was initially invented by Dr. Kelley Still. Additionally, it is dedicated to John and Crystal Beuerlein in creative appreciation of their entrepreneurial spirit of making a difference within the Drury community.

It exemplifies Emerson's "Go not where the path may lead, but rather go where there is no path and leave a trail."

Indeed, this epitomizes the essence of The Zen of the Idea---Beyond the Box.