Priorities:North Carolina A&T Student Priorities

Ultimate goal: Enhance interdisciplinary collaboration for improving the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem at NC A&T.

Strategy #1 Provide a Growth Factor for Student Innovation

Project 1: Makerspace

A space that provides resources, raw materials, tools and technology to spark innovation and creativity (wood, circuit boards, 3D printers, sewing machines, bakery equipment, art supplies, software, etc.)   It will be important for this space to be on neutral ground and in a central local (not on the engineering side of campus, nor the business side). This space will also double as a small business incubator for students.

Project 2: Innovate A&T Panel Discussions

Panel Discussions are a great medium for educating students outside of the classroom. the Innovate A&T Panel Discussion Series will invite innovators, entrepreneurs, makerspace operators, support organizations, faculty, and administrators to speak to students and answer their questions regarding E&I on and off campus.

See flyer for fist panel discussion: 

Project 3: Innovate A&T Pitch Contest

Weall care about the success and advancement of North Carolina A&T, and this annual innovation event will give students an opportunity to identify problems that they see on campus, and provide detailed and comprehensive solutions within a four minute pitch. The solutions will be presented to campus administration, and faculty members with the goal of providing a platform for student ideas on campus issues to the decision makers at A&T.

Motivational Startup TED Talk (Fall 2019, Jaelyn Phillips)

This is a one-day on-campus event for all students and faculty. It is designed to display the unlimited possibilities of having a start-up company. This TED Talk is to give students and faculty the motivation and confidence to know they can do whatever they set their minds to. Students will see that the possibilities of their developing startup idea or current one in process has endless possibilities. This event will embark on the WHY of a startup. Secure 2 motivational speakers to share a personal story Secure dates, location, and time Create a marketing plan

Strategy #2: Promote Student Interdisciplinary Exploration of Entrepreneurship  

Project 1: Virtual Makerspace Market & Campus Pop Up Shops

Online and mobile application that is a virtual store where student makers can sell their innovations. This is an effort to fill the funding gap for student entrepreneurs and innovators to generate funds. We can get this off the ground with very little funding required, and I will use my resources within the computer science department and school of business.

Project 2: Aggie I&E Mentor Match

This mentorship program will match students with an interest in entrepreneurship and innovation to successful A&T alumni entrepreneurs and innovators around the world.

Project 3: A&T Student Business Owner Profiles

This is a way for makers to gain web based publicity for their innovation and entrepreneurship endeavors. These profiles would be hosted on an A&T website page.

Project 4: Innovation Fair

The Innovation Fair will showcase the various innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities offered on campus. This will increase student and faculty engagement in innovation.

Project 5: Competitions

Competitions will give the students opportunities to implement what they learned in the pop up classes and work collaboritively with other disciplines.

Project 6: Pop-Up Classes

Classes or workshops that provide training in different skills and trades, including classes on entrepreneurship and how to build and brand an idea. Students participation will be voluntary, but the skillsets learned can be carried anywhere. The pop-up classes will be faculty led and will be on a first come first serve basis for students who are interested.

Project 7: Start Up Monopoly (Fall 2019, Jaelyn Phillips)

This event is a fun way to teach students the steps of bringing their start up idea to fruition or see if students are willing to take those steps. Through this game students are given real life scenarios dealing with opportunities, money, failures, and wins. It will be a close to real overview of challenges and decisions students have to face when bringing their startup idea to fruition.

1. Create a the game (any possible scenario)
2. Secure time, location, and date
3. Create a marketing plan
4. Gather all supplies
5. Execute

Project 7: Kickstart (Fall 2019, Jaelyn Phillips & Dorian Holmes)

A two - day series of workshops introducing  students to design thinking.

Designed specifically to cater to all minds on campus.

Aim: Teaching students to problem solve and make long lasting impact

Creating inclusive environments

1. Build out a curriculum 
2. Create a Marketing Plan
3. Find Keynote Speaker
4. Get funding/sponsorship for food and other resources needed for event
5. Get location

Strategy #3 Provide a Growth Factor for Faculty Innovation

Project 1:Pop-Up Classes

Classes or workshops that provide training in different skills and trades, including classes on entrepreneurship and how to build and brand an idea. Students participation will be voluntary, but the skillsets learned can be carried anywhere. The pop-up classes will be faculty led and will be on a first come first serve basis for students who are interested.

Project 2: Co-op Classes

Classes incorporated into the student curriculums across campus as either a general education course or through each college on campus. The class will faciliatate co-op experience and have from professors who will facilitate innovative opportunites for the students enrolled each semester.

Strategy #4 Facilitating University-Industry Collaborations

Project 1:Co-ops Incorporated into Curriculum Programs

Classes incorporated into the student curriculums across campus as either a general education course or through each college on campus. The class will faciliatate co-op experience and have from professors who will facilitate innovative opportunites for the students enrolled each semester. The University will build and have established relationships with industries and on campus offcies that facilitate the different majors on campus. This will not only benefit the students, but the corporations involved as well as the university as a whole.

Strategy #5: Promote Student Interdisciplinary Exploration of Entrepreneurship  

Project 1: Office of Career Services

The Office of Career Services will enhance collaboration between the University and industry partners through the co-op program.

Project 2: Center for Entrepreneurship

This Center for Entrepreneurship will provide student entrepreneurs with metors and resources to start their own businesses.

Project 3: Creators Ecosystem (Dorian Holmes, Fall 2019)

A group of student entrepreneurs developing ventures connected to a pipeline of opportunities to prepare them to be successful founders, investments, and expand their network.

• Gather campus resources and details of entrepreneurism/startup related events

• Reach out to student leaders in organizations and share with them the purpose of this group. Convince leader to agree to share the initiatives news and list events that fit that student leader org.

• Begin group chat (Group/Slack) invite known entrepreneurs and students who want to support student entrepreneurs. Share details of upcoming events

• Host networking event to better understand students and their businesses. Share the purpose of the group and connect with everyone attending

• Host events tailored towards entrepreneurs in the group that will better prepare them to build a successful business

• Connect with investors and legal firms. Share details of the initiative and convince them to participate in events to find new talent or successful startups.

• Continue organizing events and sharing school resources with members of the Creator Ecosystem community.

• Partner with school to build a database of group alumni

• Create student investment group to invest in student entrepreneurs.

Created by: Jaclynn Dearring and Bria Bridges

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Related Links

http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Agricultural_and_Technical_State_University

http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/North_Carolina_A%26T_Student_Priorities

University Innovation Fellows:

2019

• Dorian Holmes
• Jaelyn Phillips

2017

• Folasade Adekanle
• Princeton Perry
• Katarrey Smith
• Talia Thomas

2016

• Bria Bridges
• Jaclynn Dearring

2015

• Angelica Willis

2014

• Joseph Shelton