NACCE Leaders Visit Hawaii on Nat'l Collaboration Tour

The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) began a National Collaboration Tour in January, with early stops in Wahington, DC, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, and Dallas, Texas. Our Tour shines a light on entrepreneurial communities throughout the United States, and showcases everyday entrepreneurs, and organizations that contribute to the welfare of the small business and an innovation economy.  The National Collaboration Tour will make its final stop for 2023 in Nashville, October 29 – November 1, 2023, at the NACCE annual conference. Our most recent stops were Honolulu and Kaua’i, Hawaii, and Orlando and Tallahassee, Florida.

Mahalo Hawaii

Dr. Rebecca Corbin, president & CEO of NACCE and Dr. Andy Gold, vice president for Strategic Engagement,  arrived in Honolulu on Friday April 7, 2023, and departed on Tuesday April 11, 2023. Over a four-day period, they visited the Island of Kaua'I to meet some everyday entrepreneurs, conducted an ecosystem training session with community colleges and universities, and met with the Hawaii System Leadership. This opportunity was spearheaded by NACCE faculty champion Dirk Soma, who teaches at Kaua’I Community College. Highlights of the tour included:

1) Onboarding to NACCE membership the entire University of Hawaii System comprised of seven community colleges and three universities.

2) Conducting a full-day ecosystem mapping training with the entire Hawaii community colleges that identified new ways of connecting the colleges with the overall Hawaii System. This gathering was the first of its kind in over 16 years. The training culminated with a vibrant discussion about the University of Hawaii’s Strategic plan, and how the community colleges are working on projects and programs to help address several strategic imperatives (workforce, and diversifying Hawaii’s economy). Participants were engaged, had fun, and came up with some terrific ways to bridge the community colleges with one another and the system. 

3) Meeting with University of Hawaii System leadership to discuss increased engagement between NACCE and the Hawaii System, including expansion of the Everyday Entrepreneur Program and Venture Fund. The NACCE team had the great pleasure to meet with Steve Auerbach, Interim Director, Office of Innovation & Commercialization; Cheri Kawachi, Executive Assistant; Sandra Fujiyama, Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE); Joshua Kaakua, University of Hawai’I Community Colleges.

4) Participating in a visit to the island of Kaua'I, led by Dirk Soma.  The team saw and learned about the Ratcliffe Foundation Pitch for the Skilled Trades funded project at KCC-- creating faculty and student housing using innovative techniques leveraged by the carpentry program -- at KCC.

5) Engaging with everyday entrpreneurs at a local farmers’ market provided the oppportunity for NACCE leaders to see how community colleges support rural entrepreneurs, including Compost Kaua’I and Kaua’I Fresh Fish. 

The training culminated with a vibrant discussion about the University of Hawaii’s Strategic plan, and how the community colleges are working on projects and programs to help address several strategic imperatives (workforce, and diversifying Hawaii’s economy). Participants were engaged, had fun, and came up with some terrific ways to bridge the community colleges with one another and the system.

To learn more about NACCE's professional development for college faculty and leaders, email Dr. Andy Gold at gold@nacce.com.