Entrepreneurship master’s student Santino Sciullo leverages adaptable mindset to revamp skills and career

The ability to think like an entrepreneur is a benefit for any kind of business career, and is a central part of the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program at W. P. Carey — and it’s what led Santino Sciullo (MS-EI '25) to further his education here.

The ability to think like an entrepreneur is a benefit for any kind of business career, as it helps you better navigate situations of uncertainty and ambiguity with confidence, whether you are running your own business or not.

This adaptable mindset and skill is a central part of the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program at ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business — and it’s what led current student Santino Sciullo (MS-EI '25) to further his education here.

"Learning design, business, AI, and uncertainty management has been extremely rewarding and, ultimately, should lead to a more fulfilling career," says Sciullo, who had previously been working as a business analyst. A desire to diversify his skillset and career options inspired him to pursue a graduate degree, ultimately choosing the MS-EI program at ASU.

W. P. Carey spoke to Sciullo about working with classmates from around the world, the experience of launching a venture while in the program, and what he's looking forward to next.

Why W. P. Carey?

The MS-EI program at W. P. Carey appealed to Sciullo because of the opportunity to develop skills in areas like design thinking, marketing, and prototyping. It also offers experiential learning opportunities for students to truly discover what it's like to design and launch a venture.

"[The program] instructs you to always start by interviewing the customers, and make sure you’re addressing the proper pain points in their life," says Sciullo. "'Then it helps lead you through designing a product or service that is actually solving the problem at hand, and ultimately how to manage through uncertainty."

The MS-EI experience is rooted in an authentic, studio environment. "From conception, to prototyping, to launching something completely novel — the skills learned here have real-world applications,” he adds.

Another aspect of the program that Sciullo finds invaluable are the connections he’s been able to form with classmates, who hail from around the world. Many of the students who are currently in the program came to W. P. Carey through a partnership with Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates, giving his cohort a unique global perspective.

"This experience has taught me so much more than just business, but also about culture and shared values," says Sciullo. "From Arizona locals, to fellow U.S. citizens, to our global classmates, this year has introduced me to incredibly talented thought leaders of tomorrow’s world."

Why entrepreneurship and innovation?

In his first semester in the MS-EI program, Sciullo began his venture, So Burr Brands, a nonprofit organization that partners with party promoters to raise funds for overdose prevention. He credits the MS-EI curriculum with helping him learn how to solve the problems that arise when beginning a new business idea.

"Building So Burr Brands during my first semester, and operationalizing it during the spring semester has been very fulfilling," says Sciullo. "It has taught me what goes into a product launch, and, ultimately, the thought processes needed to solve interesting problems."

He says that the entrepreneurial mindset is something that the program and its faculty place great emphasis on and help each student understand for themselves. "They’ve helped us to define what entrepreneurial thinking even is, and then helped us to put it in practice within the contexts of our own businesses."

Sciullo is excited to take additional classes in subjects like artificial intelligence and marketing, which will provide him with even more problem-solving tools that will assist his organization in the future.

What's next?

Looking ahead to graduation, Sciullo plans to continue growing the nonprofit that he started at W. P. Carey, though that will likely not be his only role, as he has developed another passion during his time in the MS-EI program.

"There is likely a job for me working on larger projects for larger firms," says Sciullo. "I have taken a keen interest in innovation as a niche, and have dreams of being an innovation director one day."

Networking across the MS-EI program has been extremely helpful to him, both professionally and personally with peers. He recommends that future students prioritize meeting new people and talking to these connections whenever they can, while keeping this advice in mind: “Be decisive. Be caring. Be yourself.”