NACCE Fellows

In the dynamic landscape of education and entrepreneurship, fostering innovation and empowering future leaders is essential. The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) understands this need, and one of their newest initiatives, the NACCE Fellows Program, stands as a testament to NACCE’s commitment to cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit among community college, faculty, staff, and administrators. The NACCE Fellows program started as a pilot program in the fall of 2022 with four inaugural Fellows. The success of that cohort led to the expansion of the Fellows program in 2023 to include 12 Fellows. Future expansion in 2024 is planned and will be announced shortly.

As we reflect on the Fellows program and all the amazing outcomes yielded, the most exciting part is that this program is just leaving the starting gate with boundless opportunity.

Empowering and Engaging NACCE Members

At the heart of the NACCE Fellows Program is the belief that an interdisciplinary cohort of faculty, staff, and administrators play a pivotal role in shaping the entrepreneurial mindset across the national NACCE membership, and the diverse communities that they serve. Empowering community college leaders with the tools, resources, and knowledge created by the Fellows projects creates a ripple effect that transforms communities and economies.

The Fellowship Experience

The NACCE Fellows Program is a comprehensive and immersive experience designed to elevate faculty, staff, and administrator participants to new heights in entrepreneurship education. The program offers a unique blend of professional development, networking opportunities, and hands-on experiences that together form a collective culture of entrepreneurship education changemakers.

This collaborative environment fosters the exchange of ideas and best practices, creating a rich tapestry of knowledge that can be woven into the fabric of community college education. In 2024, the Fellows program will be modified a bit based on

feedback from the 2023 cohort and will now include opportunities for Fellows to work together on projects if they elect to do so.

Building a Supportive Community

One of the program's standout features is the sense of community it fosters. NACCE Fellows become part of a supportive network of thought leaders and changemakers who share a passion for entrepreneurship. This community extends beyond the duration of the fellowship, creating a lasting support system that continues to inspire and guide fellows throughout their careers.

Impact

The ultimate measure of the NACCE Fellows Program's success lies in the impact it has on students, colleges, and communities. For educators and students, the Fellows have created rich content that can be woven into an interdisciplinary collection of credit and non-credit offerings. For staff and administrators, the Fellows have produced several playbooks and research impact studies that can help inform decision making. Finally for the community at-large, The Fellows projects have included mentoring development opportunities for community partners, workshop series for the entire community to engage in, and fundraising guidelines and suggestions to increase engagement between colleges and myriad community stakeholders. The Fellows program nurtures creativity, critical thinking, problem identification, and problem-solving skills.

Success Stories

The NACCE Fellows Program has already produced numerous success stories, with fellows implementing innovative projects. Over the coming months, we will offer follow-up articles that dive deeply into individual Fellows projects, and how they can benefit NACCE members. Stay tuned for upcoming articles that showcase these trailblazing innovators.