NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic Recognized for Innovation in Co-Curricular Education

RALEIGH, N.C. - Jan. 29, 2018 - PRLog -- The NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic was among the educators, innovators, researchers and leaders in entrepreneurship education recognized during the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) annual awards program. The awards event was held at the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts at California State University – Northridge.

The Entrepreneurship Clinic received the 2018 Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation. This is the second time NC State has been recognized by the association. In 2017, the NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic received the USASBE Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Program Award.

"There were many high-quality submissions this year," said 2018 USASBE Awards Chair Megan Matthews of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The recipients of the 2018 USASBE Awards stood out with their innovative curriculum, thoughtful research and inclusive programming. It was an intense and rewarding process."

Over 30 judges from 14 institutions across five countries – many of whom represented universities that previously won USASBE program awards – had a challenging time deciding on award recipients. "We feel it is important that the organization recognizes the colleges and individuals who create, innovate and lead the way in building excellence through entrepreneurship education," said Dr. Jeff Vanevenhoven, senior vice-president of programming at USASBE and the Irvin L. Young Professor of Entrepreneurship at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Dr. Heidi Neck, the Jeffry A. Timmons Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Babson University and President of USASBE said, "The events of the weekend marked the first awards program under USASBE's updated mission of being an inclusive community advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship, and practice. Through participation in our awards program winners and runners-up share their ingenuity, passion, and efforts. The future of entrepreneurship shines brighter today because of their involvement."

The 2018 USASBE Conference welcomed representatives from 254 universities and 24 countries with a record of 407 submissions covering entrepreneurship education topics in research, teaching, and programming. "Over 525 diverse attendees came together to share their successes and challenges in a new conference architecture that encouraged deep engagement and thoughtful conversations in both structured and unstructured environments," said Julienne Shields, the Conference Chair and Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Millikin University.

About USASBE: USASBE is an inclusive community advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship, and practice. With members ranging from universities, colleges, for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations and the public sector, a shared common commitment to fostering entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviors is held. USASBE supports the development of entrepreneurship educators who in turn will create the next generation of entrepreneurs. For more information please contact Patrick Snyder, executive director for USASBE psnyder@usasbe.org or call 262-472-1449.

About the NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic: Entrepreneurship Clinic serves as a classroom for experiential learning, a physical space where students from any discipline at NC State can execute on their ideas, a locus of interaction between the university and area startups, and a practical research lab for data collection. Read more about the NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic and its achievements since its launch in 2015: http://go.ncsu.edu/ncstate-eclinic-award