Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Seeking your entrepreneurial ideas
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Calling all University of Southern Indiana students! Have you ever tossed around an idea for a new business, product, or service? Students from all colleges of the University are invited to a presentation at 10:05 a.m. Monday, September 24 to learn about making their business dreams a reality. Sharon Alpi, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Tabor School of Business at Millikin University, will speak to students on “Entrepreneurship Across the Disciplines.” The 40-minute presentation in Carter Hall D of the University Center is sponsored by the USI College of Business. Senior seminar teacher One of three faculty members who developed an entrepreneurship-in-the-arts program for Millikin, Alpi teaches the senior seminar for the program. Course offerings in entrepreneurship are being expanded to other colleges at Millikin, which is located in Decatur, Illinois. Alpi has an extensive background in entrepreneurship. In 2004, she was named the Coleman Foundation Professor in Entrepreneurship at Millikin. She also works with the Council for Entrepreneurship Awareness for the Coleman Foundation, a Chicago-based organization that supports entrepreneurship education. Alpi directed a program called Accelerating Entrepreneurship in Central Illinois, a collaborative process launched by Millikin to foster a more supportive environment for entrepreneurship-based economic development in the region. In 2001, she organized a team of investors in the creation of a venture fund, InDecatur Ventures, LLC. Two-day visit Alpi’s presentation to students is part of a two-day campus visit during which she and Dr. James G. Dahl, dean of the Tabor School of Business, also will meet with USI College of Business faculty and community leaders to discuss teaching entrepreneurship, entrepreneur programs in the community, funding entrepreneur academic programs and endeavors, and related issues. Millikin’s nationally recognized entrepreneurship program is a resource to the Decatur community and the State of Illinois. The university’s Center for Entrepreneurship serves as a learning laboratory for students and offers business assistance to the community. Students can enter Business Idea Competition USI students also will have an opportunity this fall to exercise their entrepreneurial thinking in the College of Business’ second annual Business Idea Competition. Students may submit their innovative ideas beginning September 27 and no later than October 18. By early November, judges will determine the finalists, each of whom will make a brief presentation before a panel of judges. Winners will receive prizes. The competition will be a focus of the College of Business celebration of Indiana Entrepreneurship Week (November 5-9), sponsored by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. For more information about the Business Idea Competition, visit www.usi.edu/business/ideas.asp. Minor in entrepreneurship The USI College of Business plans to offer a minor in entrepreneurship that is designed to have wide appeal for students across campus. Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business, said students in many disciplines are likely to benefit from exposure to information about starting and managing a business. The proposed curriculum will be submitted to appropriate University committees during this semester. If approved, the program could be implemented in fall 2008. In the entrepreneurship minor, students will learn how to apply creative thinking to their business ideas, assess the feasibility of business ideas, develop a business plan, and explore effective business practices. They also will have hands-on opportunities to work with entrepreneurs. |
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