Among 119 businesses studied in a St. Thomas entrepreneurship survey, the department reported student and alumni startups have generated $265 million in combined annual revenue.

Entrepreneurship professor Alec Johnson said the survey is “not yet complete,” but will be used to track what St. Thomas students and alumni have been doing over the past 10 years.

“We had a team of people call the alums from our department. We put an initial list together from memory of about 60 or 70 graduates that we knew had businesses, and that list grew to about 100 or 110,” Johnson said.

According to Johnson, these companies employ 1,282 people full-time and 4,331 people part-time.

Junior entrepreneurship major Kathleen Connolly said St. Thomas gives students real-world experience.

“I think that this survey shows that the students who attend (St. Thomas) and go into the entrepreneurship program are skilled and very driven, taking what they are learning and applying it well,” Connolly said.

St. Thomas alumnus and business professional BreAnna Fisher took the survey and said she “absolutely” sees success in the future for St. Thomas graduates.

Fisher represents one of the 119 businesses on the list with the DoDrinks app she created in 2012. She has also mentored several students during their start-up projects, including the Superhero Simulation Service and Summit Avenue Apparel founders.

“(The survey) shows … leadership through action. These students have taken their education and activated their surroundings. The department gave these entrepreneurs the tools to get the job done,” Fisher said.

Fisher emphasized the entrepreneurship department’s ability to push students toward success.

“They trained me to be curious, to ask questions and challenge my surroundings,” Fisher said. “Entrepreneurship is a guaranteed way to change your environment. I’m trained to be able to clearly define a problem and discover creative solutions.”

Sophomore Madison Bosshart attributed post-graduate success to the help students get at the foundational stages of starting a business.

“They throw you in. They give you mentors; they provide you with everything you need and basically building your confidence,” Bosshart said. “They just want to help you. They want to see you succeed because they love St. Thomas.”

Johnson said the survey proves that St. Thomas’ entrepreneurship department is well-rounded.

“It says that UST takes a more holistic view of entrepreneurship as a way to make impact in our society. We are training students to solve problems that matter to them,” Johnson said. “That may be in a non-profit business that creates real economic impact by employment, social impact through social venturing or through any career path the student chooses.

Bosshart stressed that the survey is an indication of what St. Thomas stands for.

“I think the survey shows the passion that’s instilled in each student because they were really motivated to succeed, and we were really well equipped in college,” Bosshart said.

Johnson said the future is bright for entrepreneurship graduates.

“The past is the best predictor of the future, so yes, I see nothing but growing success of not just entrepreneurship graduates, but all Tommies,” Johnson said. “We are increasing our impact across campus, not just within the Opus College of Business.”

Zach Zumbusch can be reached at zumb8499@stthomas.edu.