Building Up a Tribe: Constructing Entrepreneurial Identity Through Discourses in Higher Education

This article explores how entrepreneurial culture is constructed in a university setting through the discursive practices of students engaged in entrepreneurship communities. Drawing on discourse analysis and a theoretical framework that integrates identity theory, organizational culture (Schein), communities of practice (Wenger) and symbolic anthropology (Geertz), the study examines how students make sense of entrepreneurship as a cultural and identity-forming phenomenon. Empirical data were collected through thematic interviews with student entrepreneurs active in multidisciplinary university-based communities. The analysis identified three primary discourse categories: personal, communal and normative, each reflecting different dimensions of how students internalize and legitimize entrepreneurship. The findings reveal that entrepreneurial culture is not transmitted through formal teaching alone but emerges from peer interactions, shared narratives and symbolic practices that collectively shape identity and belonging. Entrepreneurial communities function as catalysts, offering both emotional resonance and social validation that make entrepreneurship a meaningful and attainable path. The study contributes to entrepreneurship education literature by demonstrating how discourse not only reflects but also actively constructs entrepreneurial realities in higher education. Implications are drawn for how institutions can support identity-sustaining structures that extend beyond individual courses and foster inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems.