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College of Business receives $45,000 grant
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The Boise State University College Of Business and Economics Entrepreneurship program received a $45,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The Kauffmann Foundation announced Jan. 31 that it was offering grants to 52 colleges and universities totaling $2.3 million.
The Foundation strives to assist programs nationwide that assist entrepreneurs in obtaining the skills, abilities, information and tools they need to optimize their chances for success.
The Foundation reviewed over 300 proposals from colleges applying for the grants, which ranged from $12,000 to $50,000. Each institution must match the grant.
According to Boise State University News Services, BSU will use the grant money to develop courses in conjunction with its virtual business incubator.
Boise State University has partnered with the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and Inland Northwest Research Alliance to help other regional schools develop educational programs to support private business through business plan development and commercialization of science and technology products.
Dean Bill Lathen, College of Business and Economics, said the grant is a boon for the program.
“Boise State offers the only entrepreneurship degree in the state and the Kauffman Foundation’s several grants to us have significantly increased our regional and national recognition,” he said.
The Kauffman Foundation’s work is focused on two areas: entrepreneurship and education.
The goal of the Kauffman Foundation is to increase and strengthen entrepreneurship in the United States.
“We believe college campuses are an ideal place to reach future entrepreneurs, those leaders who through their ideas and innovations will continue to fuel our economy,” said Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation.
“Tomorrow’s entrepreneurs are in the labs and classrooms of colleges today,” Schramm said.
The proposals described how each institution planned to develop, expand or enhance entrepreneurship education. Proposals were rated on factors such as the number of students reached, the variety of disciplines involved and the focus on experiential learning.
Judging teams consisting of the Kauffman Foundation staff, entrepreneurship experts and educators reviewed the proposals.
“This investment will support expanded entrepreneurial experiences for students at these schools and will also help create an environment where college professors and administrators can learn from each other about what works,” said Tony Mendes, director of initiatives in college entrepreneurship for the Kauffman Foundation.
“The quality of the proposals we have seen this year clearly demonstrates that an entrepreneurial spirit of innovation and creativity is sweeping across college campuses in the U.S.,” Mendes said.
A study by Alberta Charney and Gary D. Libecap called, The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education, shows that about 15 years ago, entrepreneurship courses could only be found in a handful of schools in the United States. Today, more than 1,500 colleges and universities offer some form of entrepreneurship training.
Entrepreneurship education interest has spread to non-business disciplines such as engineering, life sciences and liberal arts where students have shown interest in becoming entrepreneurs.
Vicki Parsley, The Arbiter