Center for Entrepreneurship
ECSU established the Center for Entrepreneurship effective January 2001. The Center supports the goals of the University by providing a challenging and supportive environment to prepare students for knowledgeable, responsible participation and leadership in society. The Walter R. Davis School of Business and Economics houses the Center.
The Center has already received two major grants and a significant gift. First the Center began with a $44,000 grant from the US Department of Education to plan the program and recruit a part-time director. Then world-renowned money manager Tom Marsico of Denver, Colorado contributed $50,000 to support the Center. The largest gift to date in the amount of $77,281 was received from the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, based in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Center will help students gain "real world" experiences while pursing their undergraduate studies. The mission statement includes: (1) infusing entrepreneurial issues into traditional academic courses in a range of disciplines, (2) developing interdisciplinary courses and a visiting lecture series on entrepreneurial topics, (3) providing opportunities for students and faculty to take education outside the classroom and into the workplace, and (4) increasing the interaction between the University, community, and successful entrepreneurs.
The Center will sponsor its first Entrepreneurial Internships beginning this summer. Five students will work from twelve to fourteen weeks with an entrepreneurial enterprise. Participating students receive stipends as well as relocation expenses. Additional internships will be available for fall and spring semesters.
