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Virginia State University, founded in 1882, is one of Virginia's two land-grant institutions, and is located 20 minutes south of Richmond in the village of Ettrick. With a current student population of 5,300, the University sits atop a rolling landscape overlooking the Appomattox River with expansive views of Petersburg. Our 236-acre campus boasts 16 dormitories, 17 academic buildings and a 416-acre agriculture research facility.
=<span style="font-size:x-large;">'''Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship'''</span> =
<span style="font-family:georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.15999984741211px;">Although, Virginia State University's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem is at it's developmental stage. The university offers</span><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.15999984741211px;"> opportunities for their students to gain an understanding of entrepreneurial aspects by gaining an acumen in the classroom and then applying what is learned. </span></span>
However, it is important to note that these opportunities (with the exception of Minor courses, certificate courses, and the pitch competition) are tailored towards those who ''already'' have a startup in place. Although maker and venture spaces are mentioned as part of the Minority Small Business Leading Center's resources, none have been initiated on-campus yet.
=='''<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">According to Virginia State University's 2012 2021- 2014 2022 Undergraduate Catalog, we offer the following undergraduate innovation or entrepreneurship courses / resources:</span>'''== *'''The Reginald F. Lewis College of Business has approved an 18 credit minor in Entrepreneurship in Spring of 2017. These are the following applicable course and their descriptions:'''**'''Introduction to Entrepreneurship'''***This course introduces students to the different forms of entrepreneurship along with the risks and reward with starting a business. This course also includes real examples of this through investigations of case studies as well as personal stories from entrepreneurs in the local area. Hand-on learning is the primary directive of this course**'''Entrepreneurial Marketing & New Product Innovation'''***This course assists students (with a Business major or not) with the formation and implementation of products for customers. Students have the choice of for-profit or non-profit ventures with a value proposition. This course helps students market innovation for entrepreneurship.**'''Small Business Finance'''***[[File:VSUCenterForEntrepreneurship.png|thumb|A display of all educational programs provided for VSU students through the Center for Entrepreneurship.]]This course helps current or intending business owners to create a detailed proposal that includes a financial and action plan for their existing or prospective business. They will get direct learning from business owners and investors.**'''Social Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Ventures'''***This course explores entrepreneurship as it relates to changing social environments, developing the economy of a community, and sustaining society. The impact of social companies that are social responsible in their markets are explored.**'''Technology & Entrepreneurship'''***This course explores what 21st century technology is needed in order to assist with marketing their business (websites, advertisements, social media platforms, etc.). This course also involves creating a website for each students' small business plan.**'''Seminar: Issues in Management - Special Topics in Entrepreneurship'''***This course becomes more nuanced within the students' industry of entrepreneurship. They will be able to explore their fields of interest in this course and how they can connect this to their business plan.*'''Virginia State University's Center for Entrepreneurship has also approved a prospective Certificate of Entrepreneurship in Spring of 2016.'''**This is a non-credit certificate that will walk prospective and current entrepreneurships through the process of developing, launching, funding, marketing, and successfully operating a business. It is administered online as well as in-person. Military veterans and minority entrepreneurships are offered scholarships for this certificate.
*<span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">'''Reginald F. Lewis College of Business (RFLC): MGMT 444 – Entrepreneurship and Small Business Mgmt'''. '''''(As an Elective)'''''</span>
<span style="font-family:georgia,serif;"><s>This is an introductory course for all agricultural majors that will focus on the importance of business to the food and agricultural sector. The course will explore the mechanics of developing a business plan, applying the principles of marketing, management and finance.</s></span>
* '''College of Agriculture: AGEC 142 - Principles of Agric Economics'''
This course explores the principles of economics as applied to the agriculture economy. The course highlights the agricultural development of the U.S.A. The course will also develop the concept of economics as a social science, as well as the fundamental principles explaining the behavior of major economic units such as the consumer and farm-firm; price determination in general; the concept of elasticity; and the characteristics of various market structures such as perfect competition, monopoly, and oligopoly. Students will be introduced to the application of economic principles to international trade, environmental management and agricultural policy.
<span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">As of August of 2021, the Honors Program has expanded into the Honors College. The Honors College is designed to meet the unique educational needs of Virginia State University’s academically talented and highly motivated undergraduate students. The primary goal of the Honors Program is to create and maintain a stimulating, supportive environment in which young scholars may engage in a wide range of challenging intellectual and creative pursuits. The program encourages the participation of all departments, fosters <span style="color:#ff8c00;">'''innovation'''</span> and experimentation in undergraduate education, and supports University-wide cultural enrichment.</span>
=='''<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">According to the Virginia State University's 2012 2021 - 2014 2022 Graduate Catalog, we offer the following innovation or entrepreneurship courses:</span>''' ==
*<span style="font-family:georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span>'''College of Engineering, Science and Technology: CSED 504 – Innovations in Distance Learning'''</span>
<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 17.219999313354492px;">The centerpiece of the farm is the Cooperative Extension Pavilion, which houses faculty and staff offices and laboratories; it also contains meeting areas that are frequented by members of the agricultural community sharing learned research and educational information.</span><span style="line-height: 20.966400146484375px;">In addition to producing the region's traditional row crops, the farm is utilized for research and education in areas of new and niche </span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20.966400146484375px;">crops, alternative cropping methods, horticultural crops, nutrient management, water quality, animal production, and aquaculture production.</span><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 20.966400146484375px;"> [[File:VSU Randolph Farm.jpg|frame|VSU Randolph Farm.jpg]]</span>
='''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function.''' =<span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.15999984741211px;">Currently, Virginia State University does not have a technology transfer function that allows for commercialization. </span><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.15999984741211px;"> Virginia State University has established a research foundation with the hopes to taking over this these functions.</span>
='''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =
<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.233999252319336px;">The following links are research alliances, collaborations, and partnerships that Virginia State has established: </span>
*[http://www.soc.aascu.org/ Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC)]
='''[[File:Virgnia State University Multipurpose Center.jpg|frame|Virgnia State University Multipurpose Center.jpg]]Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =<div>Calling the new facility “a symbol of unity,” Virginia State University President Keith T. Miller led a delegation of state, local and University officials and construction partners in the official Groundbreaking on VSU’s long-anticipated, $84 million Multipurpose Center. VSU’s Multipurpose Center will serve as the anchor for the University’s and Chesterfield County’s partnership to revitalize the Ettrick area. A mixed-use residential and commercial corridor along Chesterfield Avenue will complement the new facility. The plans for growth are outlined in both VSU’s Master Plan and Chesterfield’s Comprehensive Plan. VSU anticipates the project taking 22 months to complete.VSU’s Multipurpose Center will be the only facility of its type between Richmond and Raleigh, NC and serve as a cultural hub for a wide swath of Southside Virginia. As of November of 2021, the VSU Multipurpose Center has been completed and has served as an anchor for other universities as well as for events and, during the pandemic, as a vaccination clinic for the local area.</div><div><br /></div>
=Landscape Canvas=
