Abigail Richner, a senior engineering management major with an emphasis in aerospace engineering, has big plans for her future as a project manager. Helping lead her to that career path is Missouri S&T’s Badges of Entrepreneurial Excellence program. 

Richner is one of the first students set to complete all five badges of the program, which started in the fall of 2024. The badges are: leadership, design and build, research, social responsibility and entrepreneurship. 

The program was created to recognize the achievements of students working beyond the classroom. The five earned badges are a celebration of each achievement that helps develop an entrepreneurial mindset. 

“The area I’ve grown in the most through the program has been my understanding of what it means to be involved in innovation,” Richner says. “Before my involvement with the program, I viewed so much of entrepreneurship, leadership and research as absolutes — you either had them or you didn’t.” 

Before the program, Richner had always thought people were born with the “entrepreneurial spirit” and couldn’t do anything to change it, and she used to believe that entrepreneurs simply started a business until one became successful. 

“I didn’t think of myself as someone who would open a startup, so what use did I have for entrepreneurship education? Through the program, however, I learned that entrepreneurship encompasses creativity, drive and adaptability,” Richner says. “Those were skills I had used before, and I saw how beneficial it was for me to practice them more and grow my abilities.” 

That same mindset followed her into other focus areas of the program. 

“Entrepreneurship and innovation aren’t an all-or-nothing personality trait you either have or don’t — it’s a vast set of skills that you learn to use in so many situations,” she says. “The program gave me more tools to solve problems I may face at various points in my education and career. It connected me to incredible professionals and built my confidence in myself. I anticipate completing all five badges before my graduation in May, and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity.” 

Through the program, Richner attended speaker sessions with experts who discussed their experiences and growth; she participated in hands-on events, giving her a chance to apply the skills she learned in the program; and participated in Kummer Colloquiums. 

Once graduating in May, she plans to hold a role in project management in St. Louis and expects to get more involved with Missouri Leadership Seminar, the non-profit she works at, and is on the board of directors. 

Richner has advice for incoming students at S&T: get involved outside of class. 

“One of the benefits of going to school in person is how much you are able to do outside of classes. While it is important to focus on your coursework, extracurriculars enrich your education, give you more marketable skills for work after college and connect you with peers who can support you,” she said. “I feel like the Badges program specifically gave me more confidence in the quality of my soft skills. S&T’s Kummer Student Programs has connected me to fantastic professionals and incredible students who support me as I work toward completing my degree.” 

About Missouri University of Science and Technology 

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.