In September, the UCI ANTrepreneur Center welcomed its new Faculty Director Professor Larry Wilk. Professor Wilk is a continuing lecturer at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, where he helped launch the new Masters of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) degree. Within the MIE program, he leads the Business Creation capstone program and teaches the “Edge: Innovation in the New Digital Age” class. Professor Wilk also teaches all sections of the MBA program’s consulting classes. For the Executive MBA program, he has taught certificate and corporate classes on corporate innovation for healthcare, media, automotive, technology, and food companies. Professor Wilk also serves as a faculty member for the Merage Institute, which offers training for Israeli entrepreneurs in healthcare/biomedical devices, food, and new media.
In 2023, Professor Wilk made headlines when he helped create and launch “Into the Metaverse,” a groundbreaking course that utilizes virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) technology to transport students to a 3D immersive learning space known as the “Metaversity.” “Into the Metaverse” is praised for its innovative use of technology and the exciting implications it has for making education more affordable, equitable, and accessible for future generations.
Professor Wilk’s other work on campus includes co-leading the UCI New Venture Competition, serving on the board for the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and acting as the new Faculty Director of the ANTrepreneur Center. As Faculty Director, he is helping drive interest in student entrepreneurship and working to launch the new Venture Capital Immersion Program, a partnership between UCI Health and the Paul Merage School of Business.
Prior to teaching, Professor Wilk spent 26 years at The Walt Disney Company, retiring in 2013. His Disney career began in 1987 when he was hired as an intern to write the Disney Store business plan. He then joined a small opening team that eventually added 300 stores in 15+ countries. After that, Professor Wilk transitioned to a role at Disneyland, where he spent eight years improving and expanding the Disneyland Resort, with his work culminating in the opening of Disney’s California Adventure. He then spent five years as part of the opening team at Hong Kong Disneyland, leading Operations Development for back-of-house. He ended his tenure at Disney with eight years as VP of Worldwide Operations for Home Entertainment and VP of Operations and Strategy for Studio Operations.
Professor Wilk received his BBA with honors from Southern Methodist University and his MBA from Harvard Business School.
To welcome Professor Wilk to the ANTrepreneur Center family, Director Ryan Foland recently met with him for a friendly interview.
Ryan: Ahoy Larry! Thank you for sitting down with me and allowing me to introduce you to our ANTrepreneur community.
Professor Wilk: Happy to be here, Ryan.
Ryan: To start us off, I think it’s awesome that you transitioned to the educational space after such a successful career with The Walt Disney Company. Not a lot of retirees make the move to teaching. What inspired you to make this transition?
Professor Wilk: At Disney, I co-lead our internal mentor program at the Studio, so I understand the two-way value of mentoring. I also did many internal training sessions and was a guest speaker at many universities and conferences. After I retired, I was asked by Pepperdine University to teach a class I had guest lectured for. This led to teaching opportunities at Cal State Fullerton and eventually UC Irvine.
Whether it’s in class, in a competition, or at their job, it’s rewarding when students apply what we teach. I love when students get involved; there’s nothing better than a class where the students drive the discussion and provide many different perspectives. Personally, I also find it rewarding to continue to learn. I try to learn something new every day that I can apply in class, whether that be generative AI, VR, or the latest music trends.
Ryan: Do your professional experiences influence your teaching style?
Professor Wilk: Definitely, my classes are a combination of theory and practice, based on what actually works. My wide range of experiences across multiple roles allows me to interject personal and company examples to reinforce class discussions.
Ryan: Speaking of the classes you teach at UC Irvine, your course “Into the Metaverse” is quite innovative. Can you tell us more about the inception of this course and the primary objectives you aim to achieve with it?
Professor Wilk: The credit for the course inception belongs to Keri Albers (Digital Innovation Project Manager) and Tom Andriola (Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Data and Chief Digital Officer). Together, they provided the vision and resources to get initial funding and support from Meta and VictoryXR. I was then recruited to develop and teach the course with Keri’s help.
“Into the Metaverse” provides an in-depth understanding of the metaverse, an expansive virtual universe bringing together augmented reality, virtual reality, and the internet. In this course, students explore the technological underpinnings of building the metaverse and its multifaceted applications in various industries. Using the provided Quest 2 headset, students have the hands-on opportunity to immerse themselves in virtual environments, understand user experiences, and evaluate business potential.
The objectives for the course are to help students understand the conceptual foundation of the metaverse, develop a comprehensive understanding of the metaverse’s user experience, and understand the ethical, legal, and societal considerations associated with the metaverse. We also help students evaluate the current and potential impact of the metaverse on different business industries and recognize and assess business opportunities within virtual environments.
Ryan: How do you see VR and other immersive technologies shaping the future of education, particularly in business schools?
Professor Wilk: XR (VR/AR/MR) have the ability to make learning more experiential and engaging. For example, instead of watching a video or doing a role play on customer discovery, we can insert you into a virtual park where you have to approach and speak with pet owners to identify their needs. AI evaluates your input and adjusts the response. When complete, you receive an evaluation of how well you did. You can then practice again with different customers.
Ryan: What are some key trends in digital transformation that you believe will significantly impact businesses in the next five to ten years? And how do you incorporate these trends into your curriculum to prepare students for the evolving digital landscape?
Professor Wilk: I would say the most significant trends will be AI everywhere, humanoid robotics, autonomous transportation, global connectivity, metaverse and spatial computing, hybrid work, and connected healthcare.
We discuss these trends in “Edge: Innovation in the New Digital Age,” the MIE integrative course that explores the crucial roles of global, economic, and technological forces in the business landscape as transformative catalysts for change. In a competitive world that is being redefined by these catalysts—an evolving geopolitical order, ongoing economic uncertainty, a demand for sustainability, shifting demographics, changing consumer preferences, digital technologies—the imperative for companies to pursue business reinvention and new leadership strategies is unprecedented.
This course prepares entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs to proactively identify the opportunities and challenges presented by these catalysts, provide valuable frameworks to critically evaluate their implications, and develop the key strategies, insights, and approaches needed to innovate, compete, and win at the edge. The course prepares students to evaluate and apply these new catalysts to identify new business opportunities and leverage these catalysts to enhance and improve their proposed business ideas.
Ryan: Reflecting on your career, what are some lessons you have learned that you believe are essential for the next generation of business leaders?
Professor Wilk: To list them, I’d say:
- Exceed your objectives
- Keep learning and teach those around you
- Say “yes” and volunteer for new opportunities
- Develop your personal brand
- Get international experience
- Be honest and trustworthy
- Be part of a team with diverse skills and backgrounds
- Have fun
Ryan: As the new Faculty Director for the UCI ANTrepreneur Center, what are your goals for the Center, and how do you plan to support undergraduate entrepreneurship through this role?
Professor Wilk: I have three main goals. First, I want to cultivate a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem by building stronger partnerships between UCI departments, the local business community, and the ANTrepreneur Center. As part of the goal, it will also be important to support networking events, speaker series, and workshops that connect students with industry professionals, alumni entrepreneurs, and potential investors. I also plan to engage with faculty to promote the Center and the UCI entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as strengthen the connection between the Center and the Stella Zhang New Venture Competition and the Beall Butterworth Competition.
My second goal is to empower student entrepreneurs with practical skills by supporting hands-on training through startup challenges, mentorship opportunities, and campus-wide competitions. I also plan to facilitate skill-building workshops that cover essential areas like pitching, business development, product design, and marketing. I also want to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in academic programs and classes.
Finally, I hope to help foster innovation across emerging technologies by introducing resources and events focused on fields such as AI, virtual reality, and sustainability. I also want to align with student interests and industry trends to encourage new ideas in cutting-edge sectors.
Ryan: This sounds amazing, and I know I speak for the entire ANTrepreneur Center family when I say we’re so grateful to have your support. I also want to thank you again for sitting down with me. To close this out, what advice would you give to students who are looking to balance academic pursuits with entrepreneurial ventures?
Professor Wilk: Balancing academics with entrepreneurship can be challenging, but it’s also extremely rewarding. My advice for student entrepreneurs is to prioritize time management and use tools like planners, calendars, and task management apps to keep track of both academic deadlines and entrepreneurial goals. Blocking out specific time for studying and working on your business will ensure neither is neglected. I’d also say be realistic about your workload and allocate your time wisely. Prioritize tasks that have the highest impact on your academic success and business growth.
Surrounding yourself with like-minded peers, mentors, and advisors who can help you navigate both your academic and entrepreneurial journeys, will also make things easier to balance. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Faculty, mentors, and even fellow students can provide valuable guidance and support as you juggle both responsibilities.
Student entrepreneurs also have the unique opportunity to apply their coursework to their ventures. Seek out courses, projects, or research opportunities that align with your entrepreneurial goals, and turn class assignments into something useful for your startup. Applying what you’re learning in the classroom to your entrepreneurial projects—whether it’s a marketing strategy learned in business class or coding skills from a computer science course—will help you feel like you’re making progress academically and with your startup.
It also helps to view your entrepreneurial efforts as part of your educational experience. Even if your venture doesn’t take off right away, the lessons learned will be invaluable. Failure is part of the process. Focus on the skills you’re building—problem-solving, leadership, adaptability—and how they complement your academic studies.
Finally, remember to utilize campus resources like the ANTrepreneur Center, Beall Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Beall Applied Innovation, student clubs, and even professors who can offer advice, mentorship, and sometimes even funding. Your time at university offers access to networks and resources you might not have after graduation. Take full advantage of them while you can.
For more information about the UCI ANTrepreneur Center and how it can support your entrepreneurial journey, including programming, speaker series, micro-internships, funding, and more, visit our website. You can also learn more about our valuable collaborations with Blackstone LaunchPad, Tech Coast Angels, Tech Coast Venture Network, OC Startup Council, SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Threads.