Resource:How to work with faculty to create an Entrepreneurship Certificate Progam
Contents
What is an Entrepreneurship Certificate Program?
An Entrepreneurship Certificate Program offers an entrepreneurially driven agenda that college students may elect to participate in. This program does not replace the traditional university degree, but rather accompanies it. Students that successfully complete the requirements established by the university for this program will immediately receive a Certificate of Entrepreneurship. This certificate may be presented to future employers as a form of validating skill sets and accomplishments.
The Entrepreneurship Certificate Program was conceptualized by the Fayetteville State University Center for Defense and Homeland Security (CDHS). "The Center for Defense and Homeland Security mission is to foster education, research and the commercialization of scientific technologies with National Laboratories, industry partners, institutions of higher education, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other federal, state, and local entities, in support of the mitigation and recovery of natural and man-made catastrophic disasters, within the U.S."
Where do students come in?
It is up to the students to gauge the campus climate and culture. This is the first, and arguably most essential step in the process of establishing a certificate program on-campus. Without the proper audience or network established ahead of time, it becomes very difficult to generate enough interest to get the program off the ground.
This program is all about taking the campus community, regardless of its current status, and increasing amount of interaction between students from all disciplines. Therefore, it is essential to not advertise this program to only one targeted group of individuals.
Where do faculty come in?
University faculty play an essential role in establishing this certificate program on-campus. They must act as the big movers, interacting with members of the administration and helping to attain the funds that make such programs possible. The student body has limited access to these important resources, so finding the right faculty members for this job is an essential piece of the puzzle.
As Jim Collins explains in his book, "Good to Great", it's all about getting the right people on the bus before you decide where you're driving.
Student Logistics
- Gauge campus climate/determine plausibility of success
- Recruit help of specific individuals on-campus (students & faculty)
- Reach out to students through multiple entities on-campus/advertise certificate program
- Request funding & get approval from administration
- Develop lesson plan
