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The Overview of the University of North Alabama
<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">While surveying, students informed us that they didn’t believe their majors needed entrepreneurship or innovation, because it wasn’t a business department and they didn’t want to own a business. First, we had to change the verbiage to get students to understand that this topic is not only relevant, but absolutely VITAL for their majors, departments, and careers, community and the university.</span>
= <span style="font-size:smaller;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship</span></span>= <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Though our community and faculty is excited and engaged about bringing these changes to UNA, the students are disconnected, lacking motivation or knowledge in the process, terms, importance, or relevance. During our team meeting, the candidates analyzed a SWOT analysis of the culture at UNA. We found the following Strengths, Weakenesses, Opportunities, and Threats:<br/span> </span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"></span></span> == <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Strengths: </span></span> == <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-University Leadership: Our students have ample support and opportunity to create or grow organizations with unlimited resources. We push for students to become involved in some way, and over half of our students are involved in two or more organizations on campus. We also have a fair Student Allocations system with processes in place to provide decent funding to all organizations. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Community Leadership: The Shoals Entrepreneurial Center, alongside the Generator, the Chamber of Commerce, and other local companies long to see students succeed. The environment of Florence is a perfect climate for new entrepreneurs, and the city strives on fulfilling dreams and passions. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Collaborative Spirit/Positivity: We have found that the community and students, though possibly unknowledgable, is still welcoming to these ideals and change. We have high spirits for new programs and abundant resources as well. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Diversification: UNA has one of the largest international programs, as well as one of the most variable, student bases in the state. Our diversity allows for a better culture for innovation, as new perspectives and behaviors can be found within the community. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span> == <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Weaknesses:</span></span> == <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Weak presence: From our research, Innovation and Engineering and STEM is not only missing on campus, but we also have a disconnected view of its importance to the community. Many of the students believe the arts is enough and cannot see a need for analytical, technical communication. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Misunderstood: We need to change language/verbiage of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in order to relate to students. Right now, it is a confusing and daunting term. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span> == <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Opportunities:</span></span> == <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Community: Florence and the Shoals are now primed up for innovation and entrepreneurship through new scholarships, investors, media, and a major increase of local businesses gaining attention from a national and international market. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Employment for IE: All around the Florence/Huntsville area, engineering and analytics mixed with a business and innovation background is needed and desired. Jobs are beginning to hire again in our area, and having these skill sets is greatly benefitting both UNA and the community. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Mane Capital Fund: Finally, UNA has a large and sustainable fund for entrepreneurship and capital for students. This fund holds a board of directiors and officers that is spreading the word of innovation and entrepreneurship and our program everywhere they go. </span></span> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span> == <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Threats:</span></span> == <font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">-Running out of capital: Though it is short-term sustainable, we must continue to find investors and add value for people to invest in this idea, or we will lose all funding. </font> <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">-Lack of resources (technology): Due to a lacking technological presence, we are behind other large cities in the form of technology, which can hinder our innovation. We need the skills in order to become a greater university. </span></span>
= <span style="font-size:smaller;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship</span></span><br/> =
