Ourso Student Experience
Future-Focused, Immersive Student Opportunities
The E. J. Ourso College of Business is home to an inclusive community of problem-solvers and innovators who put classroom instruction into action through experiential learning. Get involved to find your passion, develop leadership skills, and establish your professional network. We think you might make the world a little better along the way.
Get Involved
A wide variety of extracurricular activities is available for business students to explore their interests and enrich their college experience.
Student Success
From the moment you arrive on campus, you can rely on Ourso for academic advising, career and professional development, and much more.
Pitch Competitions
Got a big idea? Pitch it for a chance to win. On-campus students from across the LSU
system are encouraged to participate in the annual J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge,
where three finalists will pitch for a share of $35,000. This system-wide business
plan competition is open to on-campus LSU students and alumni (graduated within the
last year) who are operating businesses or launching new ventures.
Case competitions
Case competitions team students together to present innovative solutions to real-world business problems. Teams compete for far more than bragging rights—most competitions award cash prizes. These events put students face-to-face with top executives who have the power to implement their solutions. Not sure where to start? Talk to our student engagement coordinator about internal competitions to test the waters and gain experience without leaving campus.
Undergraduate Research
Improve your problem-solving skills and your résumé by conducting research.
The LSU Office of Undergraduate Research makes it easy for students to participate in faculty-mentored research by offering workshops, mentor search assistance, and funding opportunities.
When the experts talk, Business Tigers listen.
Student Stories
Through two summer internships, LSU economics major Garrett Wainright is applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, from helping combat invasive species in Louisiana's waterways to advancing artificial intelligence solutions in business strategy. This work added more than a line to his résumé. It gave him a real opportunity to contribute to something that matters to him on a personal level.
To pursue their goal of building a future in finance, three LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business and Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College students are spending the summer on Wall Street. Isabella Corso (BS in Finance '27), Harper Davis (BS in Finance '26, minor in applied statistics), and Macy McCalip (BS in Accounting '27) are completing an eight-week internship at Varadero Capital (Varadero), a leading alternative investment manager focused in specialized credit markets.
Each year, the Rucks International Scholars Award (RISA) provides funding for LSU management majors to study abroad. These programs aid students in advancing their career readiness and enrich their undergraduate experience. The 2024-25 RISA winners share key moments from their life-changing journeys.