Changes

Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. Under the leadership of President William H. Harris, the university continues its role as a purveyor of innovative scholarship, especially in the African American community. Alabama State University considers the NACIE commitment letter as an affirmation of the school’s historical role, and current initiatives to make entrepreneurship a core part of its future strategy.

In the spirit of the NACIE commitment letter, ASU’s membership in the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) facilitates a collaborative relationship with local industry. The university organizes faculty and student study-tours, seminars, and workshops with local manufacturers. These include Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, Honda assembly plants, and ThyssenKrupp.

Through a curriculum that combines theoretical and practical interdisciplinary learning, ASU offers an Entrepreneurship Minor for both Business and non-Business Major students. Additionally, '''''the Center of Excellence for Entrepreneurship''''' in the '''''College of Business Administration''''' (COBA), in close cooperation with accomplished and successful entrepreneurs, inspires and teaches the entrepreneurial spirit to students through several programs that will contribute to the economic development of the state of Alabama and the broader southern region. These programs include:

In addition to these initiatives, the College of Business Administration (COBA) '''& the Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Change''' (CEIC) will host '''''the Business Empowerment Series''''' on Thursday, March 15, 2012 from 5pm – 7pm.

ASU faculty members will also benefit from the '''''Center of Excellence for International Business''''' through the following entrepreneurship initiatives:

*'''Trade Missions''': Support faculty participation in Governor of Alabama’s trade and business development missions

ASU does not have a tech transfer office in the conventional sense. However, '''The Small Business Development Center''' (SBDC) at ASU provides technical and management assistance to small businesses and prospective business owners. As an institutional member of the Alabama Small Business Development NETWORK the SBDC is one of twelve University-based business assistance sources located throughout the state of Alabama.

In addition, '''the Center of Excellence for International Business''' has been instrumental in ASU becoming one of the few universities that have won the prestigious '''''Business and International Education''''' grant from the '''''US Department of Education''''' for two consecutive cycles. 

'''The Center of Excellence for International Business''' also plays a crucial role in ASU-industry collaboration. The Center will conduct the following:

*'''New Website''': The Center will develop, host, and maintain a new web site for International Business Resources for the community

'''The Disadvantaged Businesses Enterprise''' (DBE) department within ASU’s College of Business Administration is leading a major effort to increase job creation in the state of Alabama. This initiative includes a summit held January 20, 2012 to introduce the '''''Alabama Works, Alabama Wins''''' project which aims to boost competiveness among Alabama’s contractors, and therefore their ability to create jobs in the state.

The '''''Emerging Contractors''''' program will adopt the curriculum that is used by the Alabama chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. (ABC). 

*Is innovation an integral part of ASU’s institutional culture?

*Are there any unique successes (and or challenges) you may wish to highlight?

Alabama State University (ASU) is small university by population, and does not appear to have the benefit of large budgets that is common in typical Association of American Universities (AAU) member schools. It can however be argued that dollar-for-dollar, ASU derives similar levels of academic and entrepreneurial outputs with its larger counterparts.

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