Priorities:UMES strategic priorties

UIF Pitch

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Overall Objective

To change the culture of the university's students, administration, and institution to that of innovation and entrepreneurship.

#1 Create an entrepreneurship club

Success Characteristics	Success Metrics
1. Students will join the club	1. 15-20+ students from a cross-section of academic disciplines
2. Active club marketing	2. Entrepreneurship Scholarships
3. Industry sponsorships	3. Internship Oportunities

The creation of an entrepreneurship club will bring the excitement and student involment needed to get this cultural change movement off the ground. Through connecting with industry sponsors, the goal will be that funds will be disbursed to students with plans for startups.

#2 Create a dedicated space for innovation and entrepreneurship on campus

Success Characteristics	Success Metrics
1. University support	1. 50% UMES support for equipment, staffing, & supplies 50% support from outside funding for the first 24 months
2. Installation of a maker space	2. 100% of industry support for center's operational costs
3.Center has a named sponsor	3.Expanded program offerings*

Space is a major issue for students at UMES. Dedicating a space where students can add value to themselves, the university, and the community will be a very valuable asset if brought to campus.

*Expanded program offerings from the innovation/entrepreneurship center

• Teen Entrepreneurship Summer Academy
• Collegiate competitions
• Prototype creation labs
• Educational workshops
• STEM skill-building workshops

#3 Creation of a 3 credit Entrepreneurship Course

Success Characteristic	Success Metric
1. Commited and energetic faculty	1. Active learning enviorment
2. Support of UMES faculty	2.High student evaluation scores
3. Master's in Entrepreneurship	3. GPA & Application requirement

Implementing a course that students can take will be a great way to spread the innovation/entrepreneurship mesage to all students willing to recieve it. The course will be open to all majors, but students will need to provide that they are preforming well in the classroom and in the community in order to participate.

#4 Create a Speaker Series comprised of succesful alumni and faculty

Success Characteristic	Success Metric
1. Support from Alumni that are entrepreneurs	1. Active speaking platform
2. Support of UMES students	2. High attendence of series
3.Series take place monthly to start	3. Limited space and RSVP required

If students could hear the successes of UMES graduates on a continuous basis the impact would be amazing! Actually witnessing the successes from there peers will help solidify that, "you can do it too!" attitude in undergratuate students, thus changing a culture. 

#5 Inncorporate innovation and entrepreneurship principles within the freshman experience courses

Each school at UMES has a frshman experience course as a requirement for incoming freshman. Applying principles of innovation and entrepreneurship her would be the first stepping stone to changing the culture here on campus. This way students are fully understaning there options from the beggining, rather than learning that they can be trailblazers in their own fields close to graduation. 

#6 Collaboration with surroundiong HBCU's in Maryland 

Maryland is home to 5 HBCU's, UMES, Coppin State College,Suorjourner-Douglass College, Morgan State, and Bowie State University (6 if DC's Howard University is included). Working in a collaborative effort to create an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosytem amongst ourselves would be an excellent strategic move not only for UMES but all the schools listed above. Students would be able to visit and see what other students are working on and doing in the ways of entrepreneurship and innovation and share any new ideas. By succeding in this effort the HBCU community will have more bargaining chips in the way of funding and be heard nationally.

Related Links:

Jade Overton

University of Maryland Eastern Shore