National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Bestows Annual Wayfinder Awards
Date postedApril 28, 2026
Cary, NC, April 28, 2026 --(PR.com)-- The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), North America’s leading advocate for entrepreneurship education, funding and programming for community and technical colleges, has named Betty Young, president of Hocking College, and Dirk Soma, director of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Development at Baker Hill, as winners of its 2026 Wayfinder Award.
The annual award celebrates leaders who have made outstanding contributions to guiding and empowering learners on their entrepreneurial journeys in colleges and communities. “The Wayfinder award reflects what it means to lead with vision, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to fostering entrepreneurship,” said NACCE’s President and CEO Rebecca Corbin. The awards will be formally presented to the winners during NACCE’s “Pathways to Prosperity Summit” at Cuyahoga Community College’s Corporate College on June 24.
NACCE chose President Young for the award because of her significant accomplishments as an entrepreneurial college president, her active participation in NACCE, and her recognition as a Ratcliffe Foundation "Pitch for the Skilled Trades" winner. She has inspired people at Hocking College and nationwide, making a positive impact on many lives.
Through his notable work in corporate engagement, Dirk Soma has fostered student and college success. He is a distinguished NACCE advocate, recipient of a Ratcliffe “Pitch for the Skilled Trades” award, and a recognized leader and innovator in veteran entrepreneurship through the STRIVE program, inspiring numerous individuals throughout his career.
“It is a pleasure to bestow this unique recognition to individuals who have had the vision, dedication, and enthusiasm to encourage and invigorate those interested in pursuing innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Corbin. “Through their energy and constancy, they have impacted thousands of community college students and faculty in their academic and entrepreneurial pursuits.”
About Betty Young
President Young has served as president of Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, initially as interim president in 2014, and presiding president in 2015. In 2020, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) named her one of the country’s top community college CEOs. The award recognizes community college chief executives who demonstrate the highest level of achievement. During her tenure, she has expanded campus facilities, increased enrollment, and enriched entrepreneurial programming.
“I am deeply honored to accept the Wayfinder Award on behalf of our team, who use an entrepreneurial mindset to turn obstacles into opportunities. At Hocking College, we prioritize innovative action to solve challenges locally, regionally, and nationally. We are proud to partner with NACCE in championing the bold leadership necessary to build resilient communities and a stronger workforce,” said President Young.
About Dirk Soma
At Baker Hill, a leading fintech company providing cloud-based loan origination and risk management software, Soma leads the “CEED to Success” program. This national pilot program is designed to empower underserved entrepreneurs – including veteran-women- and minority-owned businesses – with the business acumen, financial readiness, and local connections needed to secure funding and grow. The initiative is rooted in the affirmation that when entrepreneurs are ready, entire communities rise, bringing together education, entrepreneurship, and financial institutions to strengthen local economic ecosystems.
“On behalf of all of those who work tirelessly and selflessly in their entrepreneurial ecosystems to support ideation and innovation through small business development, I humbly accept this auspicious award,” said Soma. “NACCE has been, and continues to be, an organization that champions entrepreneurship, and I am so glad to be able to continue supporting NACCE's vision through the partnership with Baker Hill's CEED initiative.”
About NACCE
NACCE is an organization serving over 350 colleges and nearly 3,000 educators, administrators, presidents, and entrepreneurs focused on igniting entrepreneurship in their communities and on their campuses. NACCE has two main goals: to empower college leaders to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset; and to grow the community college’s role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystems. In 2023, NACCE acquired the Tech platform www.skillpointe.com, a free career exploration tool that has reached over 4.4 million people. Since 2022, NACCE has awarded over $40 million to its member colleges and universities. Visit: www.nacce.com.
About the Philip E. Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation
Based in Annapolis, Maryland, the Ratcliffe Foundation provides funds to colleges and other non-profit organizations, including NACCE, that advance economic opportunity by investing in entrepreneurship and workforce training programs that create jobs and strengthen local communities. The mission is operationalized by supporting programs that help people start small businesses, prepare the next generation of workers in skilled trades by promoting hands-on learning, and delivering measurable results. In 2025, Carlene Cassidy, CEO of the Ratcliffe Foundation was the inaugural recipient of the Wayfinder Award. Visit: www.ratcliffefoundation.com.
The annual award celebrates leaders who have made outstanding contributions to guiding and empowering learners on their entrepreneurial journeys in colleges and communities. “The Wayfinder award reflects what it means to lead with vision, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to fostering entrepreneurship,” said NACCE’s President and CEO Rebecca Corbin. The awards will be formally presented to the winners during NACCE’s “Pathways to Prosperity Summit” at Cuyahoga Community College’s Corporate College on June 24.
NACCE chose President Young for the award because of her significant accomplishments as an entrepreneurial college president, her active participation in NACCE, and her recognition as a Ratcliffe Foundation "Pitch for the Skilled Trades" winner. She has inspired people at Hocking College and nationwide, making a positive impact on many lives.
Through his notable work in corporate engagement, Dirk Soma has fostered student and college success. He is a distinguished NACCE advocate, recipient of a Ratcliffe “Pitch for the Skilled Trades” award, and a recognized leader and innovator in veteran entrepreneurship through the STRIVE program, inspiring numerous individuals throughout his career.
“It is a pleasure to bestow this unique recognition to individuals who have had the vision, dedication, and enthusiasm to encourage and invigorate those interested in pursuing innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Corbin. “Through their energy and constancy, they have impacted thousands of community college students and faculty in their academic and entrepreneurial pursuits.”
About Betty Young
President Young has served as president of Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, initially as interim president in 2014, and presiding president in 2015. In 2020, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) named her one of the country’s top community college CEOs. The award recognizes community college chief executives who demonstrate the highest level of achievement. During her tenure, she has expanded campus facilities, increased enrollment, and enriched entrepreneurial programming.
“I am deeply honored to accept the Wayfinder Award on behalf of our team, who use an entrepreneurial mindset to turn obstacles into opportunities. At Hocking College, we prioritize innovative action to solve challenges locally, regionally, and nationally. We are proud to partner with NACCE in championing the bold leadership necessary to build resilient communities and a stronger workforce,” said President Young.
About Dirk Soma
At Baker Hill, a leading fintech company providing cloud-based loan origination and risk management software, Soma leads the “CEED to Success” program. This national pilot program is designed to empower underserved entrepreneurs – including veteran-women- and minority-owned businesses – with the business acumen, financial readiness, and local connections needed to secure funding and grow. The initiative is rooted in the affirmation that when entrepreneurs are ready, entire communities rise, bringing together education, entrepreneurship, and financial institutions to strengthen local economic ecosystems.
“On behalf of all of those who work tirelessly and selflessly in their entrepreneurial ecosystems to support ideation and innovation through small business development, I humbly accept this auspicious award,” said Soma. “NACCE has been, and continues to be, an organization that champions entrepreneurship, and I am so glad to be able to continue supporting NACCE's vision through the partnership with Baker Hill's CEED initiative.”
About NACCE
NACCE is an organization serving over 350 colleges and nearly 3,000 educators, administrators, presidents, and entrepreneurs focused on igniting entrepreneurship in their communities and on their campuses. NACCE has two main goals: to empower college leaders to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset; and to grow the community college’s role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystems. In 2023, NACCE acquired the Tech platform www.skillpointe.com, a free career exploration tool that has reached over 4.4 million people. Since 2022, NACCE has awarded over $40 million to its member colleges and universities. Visit: www.nacce.com.
About the Philip E. Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation
Based in Annapolis, Maryland, the Ratcliffe Foundation provides funds to colleges and other non-profit organizations, including NACCE, that advance economic opportunity by investing in entrepreneurship and workforce training programs that create jobs and strengthen local communities. The mission is operationalized by supporting programs that help people start small businesses, prepare the next generation of workers in skilled trades by promoting hands-on learning, and delivering measurable results. In 2025, Carlene Cassidy, CEO of the Ratcliffe Foundation was the inaugural recipient of the Wayfinder Award. Visit: www.ratcliffefoundation.com.
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