School:Berea College

Overview

BereaCampus.jpeg

Berea is a private liberal arts college, which distincts itself by its ‘free tuition’ policy, its rigorous undergraduate academic programs and its labor program. Founded as the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, Berea admits only academically promising students, who have limited economic resources, especially students from Appalachia. All students at Berea work at least 10 hours per week in more than 130 departments and organizations on and off campus.

Entrepreneurship at Berea College has manifested itself in different academic and labor activities on campus such as the General Studies Program, Service-Learning Program, Active-Learning Experience. Most distinctively, the Entrepreneurship for the Public Good (EPG) Program has been the leading department in educating students about entrepreneurship.

Academics

Technology and Applied Design Program

The Technology and Applied Design Program provide students with a broad professional and liberal-arts education, which prepares them for entrance into careers or into graduate schools. The program offers three areas of concentration: Technology Management, Artisan Studies, and Engineering and Technology Education. Some I&E-related courses offered are:

• TAD 130 Design and Documentation

This course covers design and documentationpractices for engineering and architectural applications. Some of the topics to be explored are sketching,orthographic projection, 3-D modeling, precision measurement, dimensioning, product of architectural design.

• TAD 345 Ecological Architecture (SENS)

A surveyof the developing field of ecological, or “green architecture.” Topics include innovative design methodology, alternative building materials, energy conservationand renewable energy sources, indigenous architecture, and ecologically engineered waste management systems. Laboratory exercises are complemented by experiential learningthrough student involvement in campus and community buildingprojects.

• TAD 213 Appalachian Crafts (APS)

A laboratory course involving work in various craft media including metal, wood, textiles, ceramics, and various native Appalachian materials. Through these various craft media, the culture of the Appalachian people will be examined focusing on factors affecting the life and work of the Appalachian craftsperson, including aestheticsversus function, advancing technology, and outside influences. Through skill development, students will gain insightinto the problem-solving ability, lifestyle, and ingenuity of the Appalachian people.

Service-Learning Program

The Service-Learning Program at Berea College is housed under Center for Excellent Learning Through Service. Service-learning is an educational experience based upon a collaborative partnership between a college and  the community. Learning through service in Berea College enables students to apply academic knowledge and critical thinking skills to meet genuine community needs. Through reflection and assessment, students gain deeper understanding of course content and the importance of civic engagement.

Some examples of service-learning courses are:

• SPN 310 Spanish Composition/Hispanic Outreach Project (ALE)

Service‐Learning Project:Students collaborated with local agencies to provide services, including English as a Second Language (ESL) tutoring for children and adults, Spanish classes for English speakers (children), translation services, mentoring for Spanish‐speaking children, and bilingual community reading events for children and families. The goal of these on‐going projects is to build bridges between the Spanish‐speaking and English‐speaking communities in southern Madison County

• PED 250 Aquatics (ALE)

Service‐Learning Project:Students developed and taught American Red Cross Aquatic Programs for infants and parents, pre‐school‐aged children, and adult novices.

• AFR/PSC/WST 202 Women and African Americans in Politics  

Service‐Learning Project: Students helped to coordinate and lead a community workshop titled “Running for Office:  What about YOU,” designed for community members who are interested in running for a public office.

Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship

In the circle of academics, faculty often find themselves repeating what they have done and are comfortable with - highly academic settings with work that doesn't allow for creativity and innovation. We propose to educate faculty by utilizing the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program and the Work on Purpose program which is currently used by Dr. Peter Hackbert in the 8 week Entrepreneurship for the Public Good program to teach the cohorts about the entrepreneurial mindset. This would instill in the faculty and staff ideas about how to implement entrepreneurial thinking in each of their respective disciplines, thus changing the way the student body thinks. 

Though change is never easy, these simple programs do a fantastic job of exposing the entrepreneurial mindset for what it is. In order to create an environment suitable for students to create, innovate, and potentially launch startups, their mentors and educators must first have said mindset to aid them along their journey.

Actively Supporting University Technology Transfer

There are no known examples of our university supporting technology transfer. 

Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration

The career development office hosts yearly career fairs that bring outside industry in to recruit students for both internships and full time positions and has various events throughout the year to prepare students for internships and life after graduation, like Cornell Weekend. Cornell Weekend is an event where MBA student from Cornell University come to Berea College for a weekend and meet with students to help them with their resumes and do practice interviews.  

In terms of entrepeneurship, outside of Entrepreneurship for the Public Good and their regional contacts that aid their efforts in Central Appalachia, there is no university industry collaboration. 

Entrepreneurship for the Public Good Program

The Entrepreneurship for the Public Good program creates a multi-year, learning experience for Berea students to practice and implement Entrepreneurial Leadership in rural communities of Central Appalachia. The EPG teaching approach is expressed in the EPG Cycle of Abilities for Entrepreneurial Leadership. That cycle centers on six core learning goals of the program: engaging complexity and uncertainty, exploring values and ethical structures, facilitating group decisions, recognizing opportunity, mobilizing resources and advocating change. Through this program, Berea College is able to select 20 students to participate in an 8 week summer institute based in Central Appalachia working to create a more sustainable economy for future generations. This is done in a variety of ways, one of the most recent is by utilizing social media marketing skills to help small businesses reach a larger consumer base. Another way is through the travel and tourism industry. Summer 2014, Cohort 11 received 7/8 Executive Judge's signatures to declare interest in the developing the Kentucky Trail Town system for their towns.

Co-curricular Activities

• Tech Club
• Speech and Debate Team
• Hispanic Outreach Project

Resources

• Louisville Startup Weekend
• Lexington Start-up Weekend
• Sullivan Foundation Retreat Weekend
• Awesome Inc

UIF 2014 - Berea Innovation Studio 

Description

The Berea Innovation Studio (BIS) is inspired by the need to provide Berea College students from STEAM disciplines a platform to interact with peers on idea-generation, prototype creation, and fostering innovation skills.  As innovation becomes essential for competitive and successful organizations and entrepreneurs, we recognize the importance of the BIS in exposing Berea College students to the concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship, and creating an environment that nurtures the innovative energy and entrepreneurial spirit on campus. The BIS will be a collaborative space where students of all majors can design, think and develop projects with their peers. Finally, the BIS strives to inspire the innovative spirit in all Berea college students, widening their personal and professional horizon, and building a national reputation for the college.

Objectives

• Contribute to a culture of interdisciplinary innovation and entrepreneurship in Berea
• Create a platform for students to share experiences, ideas and insights
• Build upon the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration to support innovation
• Provide resources to launch real-life projects

Mission

Provide a platform for students to:

• Get to know the basic concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship
• Support the building of interdisciplinary networks and teams
• Create an ecosystem of innovative organizations and individuals
• Nurture business ideas to advance them to the incubation and initial funding stages

Values

• Encourage the participation of all Berea College students from different academic backgrounds
• Value all ideas and input from all involved students and faculty
• Promote creativity, a spirit of collaboration, and an environment for the exchanging of ideas

Activities

• Coding Saturdays
• P2P Ideas review
• Prototype and design sessions
• Hacker Camps
• Startups Weekends
• Makers Faire
• Designing projects for business and community partners

Related Links

Berea College Student Priorities

Project Pitch

University Innovation Fellows: 

Tran Nguyen 

Dylan Mullins 

Jacob Heller 

Eugeniu Prodan

Anthony Ayebiahwe 

Robert Hosking

Ali Djire                      

Solomon Alolga                

Ability Kakama