By Stephanie J. Etter, D.Sc., Director, School of Business

Miami Dade College, Miami, FL

Theodora Laing, Chairperson, Business Department

Miami Dade College, North Campus

At Miami Dade College (MDC), Miami FL, an intensive effort is underway to increase entrepreneurship education awareness in the region. The college's School of Business has begun championing entrepreneurship as a viable career option and is using a variety of methods to spread the word and increase collaboration among high schools, colleges and universities.

Outreach to High School Students

In spring 2008 the college's North Campus hosted over 300 Miami-Dade County Public School (M-DCPS) Entrepreneurship Academy students for the inaugural Entrepreneurship Academy Day. The day consisted of presentations ranging from personal stories of successful, local entrepreneurs to the process of financing a new entrepreneurial endeavor. Students had the opportunity to attend special breakout sessions about current movements in entrepreneurship, including virtual entrepreneurship and new developments in e-commerce. The day also included a panel discussion with the presidents, CEOs, CFOs and founders of many local, popular businesses.

At the end of the spring semester, an MDC School of Business representative visited graduating seniors at eight high schools to speak about entrepreneurship education at the college and field questions from interested students. Representatives also provided enrollment information for entrepreneurship courses for the fall semester.

Outreach to High School Faculty and Administrators

MDC's School of Business and Meek Entrepreneurial Education Center will participate in the First Annual South Florida National Foundation for the Teaching of Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Pathway to Entrepreneurship College Fair, being held this fall. The fair will bring together high school, community college and university educators, advisors and administrators to discuss programs, partnerships, advising and the future of entrepreneurship education in the region. The fair concludes with a panel discussion titled "Rising Entrepreneurs in a Changing Economy.”

Outreach to College Faculty

At the 2008 NACCE Convention, MDC was awarded a Coleman Foundation Grant to further the entrepreneurship education of our faculty by providing scholarships to NFTE University. The opportunity to attend this exceptional training has increased faculty awareness of entrepreneurship teaching opportunities. Consequently, the number of faculty interested in teaching entrepreneurship courses at MDC's eight campuses has more than doubled.

Outreach to the Community

The Carrie P. Meek Entrepreneurial Education Center is a major outreach center of Miami-Dade College's North Campus. The Meek Center focuses on entrepreneurship, economic and community development and offers a vast array of college credit and non-credit courses for both degree and non-degree seeking students. Students at the Meek Center can obtain workforce and business skills training to enter the labor market or become successful entrepreneurs.

Program Offerings

Miami Dade College began offering the courses required for its College Credit Certificate in Entrepreneurship as well as the A.S. Degree in Marketing Management – Entrepreneurship in the fall of 2007. In spring 2008 the College awarded 11 College Credit Certificates in entrepreneurship, with almost all of them being awarded to associate of arts students who plan to pursue baccalaureate degrees.