Topics ranging from social entrepreneurship to an examination of the artist as entrepreneur are featured as part of Entrepreneurship Week currently underway at University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Co-sponsored by UNCW’s Cameron School of Business and the Beck Foundation, the five-day series of discussions, seminars pitch events, competitions and talks is designed to “create an entrepreneurial virus” among students, according Stephen Harper, a professor of management who has also led the event for the past few years.

Presenters include local entrepreneur Kristen Beckmeyer Spetrino, founder of Topsee Tulip Frosting, and Rob Kahaya, founder of Speedfaces.  The week’s keynote speaker is Chris Heivly, co-founder of Mapquest and co-manager of Durham-based The Startup Factory, an early-stage investment and mentoring organization.  Heivly’s talk, “5 Simple Lessons You Learned as a 10-Year-Old That Can Set You Up for Entrepreneurial Success,” takes place at 4 p.m. Thursday. Registration is required.

Ultimately, Entrepreneurship Week is designed to show students the nature of entrepreneurship, its risks and rewards, Harper said earlier this week. “They may not create another Apple, a publicly traded company or be on the cover of Inc. magazine,” he said, adding that students who are interested in starting their own business can be successful on a smaller scale if their follow their passions and their hearts.

“We can teach the process of entrepreneurship and increase the probability of [a student’s] success,” Harper added. “The hustle side – we can’t teach that.”

Students who are good problem solvers, even those who are good at algebra and enjoy solving for X, can make successful entrepreneurs, according to Harper. He emphasized, however, that winning ideas come from the marketplace.

“Think about what is needed, as opposed to ‘I have an idea,’” Harper said, saying the concept behind Field of Dreams doesn’t necessarily work out in real life. “Do a market analysis: what is not being done, or not being done enough? Get out of the building and come into contact with potential customers.”