Wichita State News: Center for Entrepreneurship

WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship announces Coleman faculty fellows

The Center for Entrepreneurship in the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has announced the new Coleman Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellows awardees.

They are Steven Skinner from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Ngoyi Bukonda, Toni Pickard and Ron Stephen from the Department of Public Health Sciences.

The fellows program is sponsored by the Coleman Foundation. The purpose is to increase and build support for entrepreneurship education across the WSU campus.

The faculty fellows will engage in projects that foster self-employment education and strengthen the efforts to grow entrepreneurship education.

They were selected from a number of applicants because of their desire to enhance student learning in their areas as it relates to entrepreneurship. Enhancements may include:

Creating and teaching an entrepreneurship class within their discipline that leads to the course becoming an ongoing offering

Modifying an existing course by incorporating elements of self-employment education to the course, leading to it becoming an ongoing offering

Sponsoring, advising and supervising student-led entrepreneurship educational efforts such as new student businesses

Development of experiential entrepreneurship education programs within their department or college

In addition to the naming of the faculty fellows, Lyn Goldberg has been named the Center for Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellow for 2009-2010. Goldberg is from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

WSU Center for Entrepreneurship launches new training programs

Starting your own business can provide a future that is rewarding, exciting and puts you in charge. The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University is now offering entrepreneurship training programs designed to explore the potential of new business ideas.

Starting Wednesday, Sept. 30, the Center for Entrepreneurship will offer two interactive programs led by seasoned entrepreneurs who will provide an environment where participants can build an actionable business plan, forge relationships with peers, facilitators, industry experts and guest entrepreneurs.

One of the programs is called FastTrac NewVenture. It is designed to help people launch a business in these challenging economic times. It focuses on helping entrepreneurs improve the performance of their businesses. Participants can also access the comprehensive online Toolkit, which includes a business plan template and financial plan template, samples plans, tools and resources.

For more information on becoming involved in the FastTrac program, go to www.wichita.edu/FastTrac or contact Wendy Veatch at (316) 978-3000 or wendy.veatch@wichita.edu.

The center also is launching the program Practical Entrepreneur Training Tools. These workshops are designed to better leverage your business strengths in today's dynamic economic times. The program provides users with the tools to lead them through the process of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Whether a start-up or established business, it provides you with the skills and knowledge to succeed.

Reserve a seat in the workshop of your choice; go to www.wichita.edu/FastTrac or contact Wendy Veatch at (316) 978-3000 or wendy.veatch@wichita.edu. Cost per session is $35.

Entrepreneurship series set to begin this fall

The fall Entrepreneurship Forum Series, hosted by Wichita State University's Center for Entrepreneurship, is set to begin in September.

The series will be from 3-4 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 17, Oct. 1 and Nov. 12.

It is free and open to the public.

The forum series will focus on start-up firms. The first one, located at 107 Devlin Hall on the WSU campus, is called "Make Your Passion Your Business." An expert panel of local business owners will discuss their experiences starting their own business.

The Oct. 1 event, in 208 Hubbard Hall, is titled "The Colossal Success of Blackboard." Michael Chasen, co-founder and CEO of Blackboard Inc., will tell his story of starting and growing the billion-dollar software company.

Joel Barker, internationally known author and speaker, will highlight the Nov. 12 forum, in 208 Hubbard Hall. "Innovation at the Verge: How to Find a New Territory for New Ideas" will focus on the use of innovation to reinvent or start a business.

For more information, call (316) 978-3000.

New entrepreneurship certificate offered by WSU business school

The Barton School of Business at Wichita State University will offer a new Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in fall 2009.

The certificate is an opportunity for individuals in the community to receive advanced study in the field without completing a degree program.

Tim Pett

"There is a definite need in our community for accelerated offerings during this economic downturn," said Tim Pett, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. "This is a chance for professionals in a variety of disciplines – the arts, sciences, health professions and engineering – to gain exposure to the challenges that entrepreneurs and existing businesses face in developing innovations into commercial products. There is much more to starting a business than a business plan."

The certificate, which consists of 12 hours of graduate level classes such as technology entrepreneurship and new product development, may be completed in as little as two semesters plus summer. No prerequisite courses are required for the program and all classes are offered in the evening.

Participants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year institution.

Applicants must be admitted to the WSU Graduate School as a non-degree candidate and pay a $35 application fee.

Anyone interested is encouraged to call the Graduate Studies in Business office at (316) 978-3230 for more information.

The Barton School also offers a similar 12-hour certificate program in Enterprise Systems and Supply Chain Management.

Fighting for every sale

The downturn in the business jet market has cost thousands of jobs in the Wichita area since layoffs started late last year, more than 11,000 jobs in all at the three general aviation manufacturers.

Manufacturers are tweaking and changing marketing strategies in response to the downturn.

Companies must sharpen their background work and knowledge of their customers, said Dean Headley, a Wichita State University associate professor of marketing and entrepreneurship.

"You always have to know your customer, but in tough times, you've got to know them even better and what you can offer... that fulfills their needs or fulfills those particular emotional buttons," Headley said.

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