Kay F. Molkentin, PhD

Professor of Practice of Entrepreneurship, Pamplin School of Business

For Kay Molkentin, the study of entrepreneurship is a perfect combination of all three of her passions—science, business, and creativity. As a professor and director of Entrepreneurship at UP since 2019, she has worked extensively to challenge the next generation of business innovators through her work in the Entrepreneurship Scholars program and the annual Pilot Venture Challenge.

She received a BS in Science from Cleveland State University and an MBA from Case Western and spent time as a research assistant for the Ireland Cancer Center’s Department of Medicine. For over 20 years, she would serve as a development coordinator and administrator for various organizations, including Case Western University, the Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development, and Hiram College. In 2009, she became the Director of the Center for Integrated Entrepreneurship at Hiram College “I enjoy sharing and developing entrepreneurial thinking with students to help them be and do whatever it is they want,” she says. In her ten years as director, she developed and taught courses in entrepreneurship and established internships, mentorship programs, and speaker series to integrate principles of entrepreneurship across disciplines.

She came to UP in 2019 after her daughter moved to Portland. “When I saw the Entrepreneurship Professor of Practice position at UP, I knew it was written for me,” she says. Of her many courses, she has enjoyed teaching Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation classes the most, along with her continued work with the E-Scholars program. She also has served as the University Liaison for Invent Oregon, and oversaw the Pilot Venture Challenge, the university’s premier business, social, and invention competition. In her time here, she has enjoyed expanding her curriculum and challenging her students.

“As an entrepreneurial thinker you have to continuously re-evaluate what you do and provide, especially as the demographics of our students change from year to year,” she says. “I find joy when any student stretches themselves further than they thought they could and learns to combine their skills and their passion.”

In retirement, she is looking forward to exploring more of her new home, the PNW, and traveling with her husband. She also recently became a grandmother and is looking forward to helping with her grandchildren.