April Lane Schuster
Senior Lecturer of Management, Entrepreneurship; Director, Entrepreneurial Initiatives
April Lane is an accomplished educator, consultant, and leader with extensive experience in entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic program development.
As the Director of Entrepreneurial Initiatives and Senior Lecturer at Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business, she has spent nearly a decade shaping the next generation of business leaders. April’s expertise lies in bridging academic theory with real-world application, particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation strategy, and business growth.
In her academic role, April has reimagined the undergraduate entrepreneurship curriculum, integrating lean startup methodologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a focus on digital-first business practices. She has designed and taught a range of hands-on courses for undergraduate, MBA, and Executive MBA students, covering topics such as entrepreneurial strategy, innovation management, sales, marketing, and scaling ventures. Her classroom is an active learning environment where students engage directly with business challenges and gain practical insights into starting and growing a business.
April’s contributions extend beyond the classroom. She founded Launch Loyola, a university-wide entrepreneurial ecosystem that connects students, faculty, staff, and alumni with Chicago’s broader innovation community. She also spearheaded Loyola’s New Venture Pitch Competition and launched the NeuroVenture Challenge, an interdisciplinary initiative combining neuroscience, ethics, and entrepreneurship. These programs exemplify her commitment to fostering innovation and creating opportunities for experiential learning.
Prior to her time at Loyola, April was the Executive Director of Catapult Chicago, a renowned incubator for early-stage digital startups. There, she supported over 60 companies that collectively raised $410 million in funding and created over 800 new jobs. Her leadership ensured the development of founders’ operational and strategic skills while fostering collaboration within the entrepreneurial community. She also held leadership roles at DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, where she advised entrepreneurs and developed scalable consulting and student advising programs.
April’s expertise is further reinforced by her role as Lead Faculty for Dog Tag Inc. and Loyola’s Executive and Professional Education Center (EPEC), where she develops and delivers advanced training in entrepreneurship and marketing to veterans, spouses, and caregivers. She is also the founder of April Lane Consulting, which provides coaching and innovation training for startups and small businesses. She has also served as an advisor and mentor to numerous startups, has launched several other entrepreneurial ventures, and has sat on the board for initiatives promoting innovation and economic growth.
With an MBA from DePaul University and a BA from the University of Michigan, April combines her academic foundation with years of practical experience in entrepreneurship and business leadership. Her work is defined by a deep commitment to fostering innovation, solving complex business challenges, and mentoring the next generation of leaders.
Education
- MBA, Entrepreneurship, DePaul University
- BA, Communication Studies, University of Michigan
Courses Taught
- Intro to Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurial Marketing
- Entrepreneurship - Global Opportunity Scan
- Entrepreneurship Strategies - Capstone
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Selected Topics: New Venture Lab
- Innovation & the Entrepreneurial Mindset