SEAL is a program of Southeastern Louisiana University funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents to teach important business and technology entrepreneurship skills to Southeastern students. In the process, the students will answer scientific and technical questions for Louisiana businesses, putting the equipment and expertise of Southeastern faculty and students at the service of Louisiana businesses, large and small.
Students will gain the research, problem-solving and communication skills they will need to be successful in the workplace, and business clients get answers to questions that come up in their operations.
SEAL stands for “Student Entrepreneurs as Active Leaders.” It is organized as a part of the state’s Applied Polymer Technology Extension Consortium (APTEC), which was established by the Louisiana Legislature in 2003 to make university resources more accessible to industry in the state.
SEAL is based on a highly successful and innovative program called “ChemEngine” at Virginia Commonwealth University, which gives engineering students valuable industrial experience. The Southeastern program will create a student-managed, faculty-supervised research group that will provide scientific services to area industrial clients. The fund will support the faculty supervision and student participation through research assistantships and will cover supplies and travel with a goal of making the corporation self-sufficient in three to five years. Any “profits” that remain after expenses are paid are contributed to other student activities or organizations or used to cover travel expenses for conferences or other programs.
