Photo by Nathan Gray

Clemson University graduate Riley Csernica helped invent a patented medical device and is a year away from launching her own company.

Photo by Nathan Gray

Riley Csernica works on her laptop in the Iron Yard office at the NEXT Innovation Center in Greenville where she interns. At the age of 21 she has helped invent a patented medical device and is a year away from launching her own company.

GREENVILLE Riley Csernica has at age 21 obtained a bioengineering degree, helped invent a patented shoulder brace and is a year away from launching her own company.

She is one of about 30 students taking part in Clemson University's new master's program in entrepreneurship, which pairs young people building business plans with the legal, financial, organizational and marketing expertise to get them off the ground.

"I was looking for jobs in bioengineering, and nothing was coming up," Csernica said. "Then I thought maybe I should start my own company."

To apply, students had to have an idea for a product or concept that they wanted to bring to the market.

Greg Pickett, the university's associate dean for its Greenville business campus, said he has assembled a team of instructors who have been building wealth and bringing products to the market for decades.

More than 100 business professionals in a range of fields from the Greenville area have also volunteered to serve as student mentors.

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Clemson grows new class of entrepreneurs