Members of PFEF Participate in White House Led Event on Higher Education, Innovation and E-ship
Friday, October 5, 2012
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Posted by: Kristina Moy
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Heather
Van Sickle vansickle@nacce.com (413)
306-3131 ext.303 DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION
MEMBERS
OF PRESIDENTS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP FORUM PARTICIPATE
IN WHITE HOUSE LED EVENT ON
HIGHER EDUCATION, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Presidents
Make Sure Community Colleges Are Part of National Discussion on How to Colleges and Universities Can Foster
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Washington, D.C. – October 4,
2012 – Thirty community college presidents from across the nation gathered with
other higher education leaders for a series of meetings convened in Washington,
D.C., on Monday, October 1, by the U.S. Department of Commerce to discuss the
role of higher education in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. The day’s
agenda, which was organized by the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at
the Economic Development Administration, focused on bringing together leaders
of higher education to provide information to Department of Commerce and White
House officials about the work their institutions are doing in the
entrepreneurship and innovation arena.
The community college
presidents attending the meetings, which were held at the U.S. Department of
Commerce and at the White House, are members of the Presidents for
Entrepreneurship Forum, which was formed in late 2011 by the National
Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE). NACCE is the
nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through
community colleges. Through
the Forum, presidents of over 180 community colleges throughout the country have
committed to increase the focus on entrepreneurship at their institutions and
the impact these colleges have on the economic well being of the communities
they serve.
"The information shared in
Monday’s meeting will be used to inform the Administration’s policy decisions
and funding allocations around how the higher education community can encourage
entrepreneurship and innovation,” said NACCE Executive Director Heather Van
Sickle. "When many people think of entrepreneurship and innovation on college
campuses, they think of the big research universities, but NACCE has over 300
member institutions across the country that have robust entrepreneurship
programs. Being part of this national conversation about entrepreneurship is
very important for our members and for the members of the Presidents for
Entrepreneurship Forum, who have particularly shown their commitment to this
important issue.”
"Entrepreneurship plays a
vital role in economic development for the United States and through the
efforts of NACCE to engage community colleges with our university partners at this
forum, our ability to grow and develop successful entrepreneurs across our
country will be greatly enhanced,” said NACCE Board Chair Dr. Ron Thomas, who
is president of Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, MN.
"The
meetings at the Commerce Department and the White House were excellent
opportunities for community colleges to be well represented in the national
conversation about entrepreneurship and with what is occurring across America
to restart and rebuild our economy,” said Dr. Daniel Larson, president of
Cayuga Community College in Auburn, NY. "We know that it is our local people
who help to create new jobs through startups and expanding current businesses. The
Presidents for Entrepreneurship Forum members who were present networked with
their college and university colleagues, and with government leaders, while
hearing updates about programs and activities.Governmental resources are
ready to assist people in our communities with their entrepreneurial
activities. As presidents, we understand clearly the need to connect our
colleges with those local efforts and with the resources of the government.”
During the morning meeting at the U.S. Department of Commerce, three Presidents
for Entrepreneurship Forum members spoke as part of panels that made
presentations on the topics of Student and Faculty Innovation and
Entrepreneurship, University Technology Transfer and Industry Collaboration,
and Universities & Regional Economic Development. Speaking on these panels,
respectively, were Dr. Karen Stout, president of Montgomery County Community
College in Blue Bell, PA; Dr. Edwin Massey, president of Indian River State
College in Ft. Pierce, FL; and Dr. Roy Church, president of Lorain County
Community College in Elyria, OH.
Also
speaking at the morning session were Steve Case, co-chair of the National
Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Acting Secretary of
Commerce Dr. Rebecca Blank; and Karen Mills, administrator of the U.S. Small
Business Administration. The meeting was led by Nish Acharya, director of the
Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
After
the morning session the Presidents for Entrepreneurship Forum attended a
luncheon sponsored by Sam’s Club, which has just announced that its commitment
to provide financial support for NACCE and for members of the Presidents for
Entrepreneurship Forum. Guest speaker, Brenda Dann Messier, assistant secretary
for vocational and adult education in the U.S. Department of Education
applauded the efforts of the presidents and shared her work. Also present at
the luncheon were representatives other NACCE partners, including the Direct
Selling Education Foundation (DSEF), the American Association of Community
Colleges (AACC), the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and
Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).
Following
the luncheon, 10 Presidents for Entrepreneurship Forum members were invited along
with a group of university presidents to the White House, where further discussions
about innovation and entrepreneurship in the higher education world occurred, Including
participation by entrepreneurs who began their businesses while in college.
About
NACCE NACCE connects community college administrators
and faculty with knowledge and successful practices regarding entrepreneurial
thinking, entrepreneurship education, and student business incubation. NACCE
holds an annual conference and symposium, publishes a quarterly journal, hosts
monthly webinars and podcasts and a dynamic list serv, develops Web resources
such as shared entrepreneurship curricula and syllabi for faculty, and creates
guides in beginning and sustaining entrepreneurship and student business incubation
programs as well as tips for grant proposals specific to entrepreneurial
endeavors at community colleges. For more information, visit http://www.nacce.com.
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