Coleman Foundation Blog

Starting a Entrepreneurship Program for Mature Adults

In 2007, Westchester Community College (WCC) in Valhalla, New York, initiated a small business training program for individuals age fifty and over.  A grant from the Coleman Foundation supported elements of the program as well as the development of a "best practices" guide which outlines the approach taken to establish this effort.

Core Activities

WCC collaborated with the Women's Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) to develop the program and it was offered four times between the Spring of 2007 and Fall of 2008.  WEDC's curriculm was modified to address specific needs of the targeted population.  Mainstream, the Institute for Mature Adults at WCC hosted the program.

Outcomes

• A total of 29 students participated in the four sessions
• The design of the program was effectively modified in response to the needs of the targeted audience
• A training guide was developed to aid in replication and communication of best practices.  See the attached guide (Download Best Practices Manual Draft 12-22-08)  and appendicies (Download Best Practices manual Appendices-Final 12-08)  which contain helpful insights.

Key Lessons Learned:  Student Recruitment Can Be a Challenge

Student recruitment was the most challenging portion of the program.  Special efforts were necessary, including the formation of an advisory committee with connections into the target population.  Multiple marketing vehicles and approaches were required to reach and attract program participants.

Key Lesson Learned:  Programs Must be Designed to Meet Unique Needs of Mature Adults

WCC's first offering has held once a week for 15 weeks.  Feedback indicated that students wanted to meet more frequently to maintain the momentum of class discussions as well as to more quickly prepare students for career transitions to self-employment.  Future sessions met twice weekly for eight weeks, shorter in length than typical programs.

A View of Autism through the Eyes of Families

Radio documentarians at Long Haul Productions completed a six-part series entitled Autism Chronicles which followed three families with autistic children as they explored treatment options and other challenges.  The series, which aired on National Public Radio and its Chicago Public Radio outlet, was heard by over 2 million listeners.

The six installments, using first-person narration by the family members who served as subjects of the documentary, provide a unique and revealing perspective on the experiences faced by families touched by autism.

The series, funded in part by the Coleman Foundation, can be found here.

Coleman Foundation Highlights Key Programs at USASBE Conference

On January 8, 2009 at the Annual Conference of the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Coleman Foundation hosted a session focusing on two key programs.

Michael Hennessy introduced the session and presented an overview of strategies within the Foundation's Entrepreneurship Education area.  The rest of the session focused on two of those strategies: 1) Catalyze cross-discipline Entrepreneurship education; and 2) Develop Entrepreneurship Pathways across educational systems.

Addressing the first strategy, Timothy Stearns, Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies at California State University, Fresno, and David Pistrui, Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurship at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, each described the way in which they have used Foundation-funded fellowships to identify and develop additional faculty champions for Entrepreneurship education across campus.  Stearns and Pistrui select faculty from departments outside the Business School to receive small stipends which fund their ability to engage directly with the Entrepreneurship programs at their respective schools.  This engagement may consist of the development of a class in the Fellow's department which incorporates Entrepreneurship concepts.  Or it may take other forms which similarly advance Entrepreneurship across campus.  Following the presentations by Stearns and Pistrui, two faculty entrepreneurship fellows from each campus discussed their roles as fellows and how they are participating in the expansion of Entrepreneurship education within their disciplines.

Clark McCain introduced the Coleman Foundation Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellows Pilot Program. Based on the Fellows models used by Stearns, Pistrui and counterparts on other Foundation-funded campuses, the intent of this program is to identify up to 12 campuses where an Entrepreneurship faculty leader will award Fellowships to 2-3 faculty from disciplines outside of Entrepreneurship and Business. These individuals, working under the guidance of the established Entrepreneurship educator, would engage in projects which advance self-employment education and strengthen that educator’s efforts to grow Entrepreneurship education across campus.

The next topic addressed how more formal connections might develop between community colleges and universities to advance Entrepreneurship Education.  Heather Van Sickle, Executive Director of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) provided background on the growing movement of Entrepreneurship Education in community colleges. 

A key Foundation grant-funded program was presented by Marianne Dunklin, Instructor in the Business Division at Fresno City College and Genelle Taylor, Associate Director of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno.  This effort consists of educators from several community colleges in California's Central Valley working with one another and the Lyles Center to develop courses, Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization clubs and campus incubators in a coordinated manner.  This collaboration, which also involves connections to Lyles Center high school programs using curricula from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, is intended to build the mechanisms that will link the tools of the classroom and the community to the building of knowledge and skills that lead to the launch of new businesses.

For more information on this session, please review the Download Presentation .  Additional questions on these programs may be directed to Clark McCain.

Congratulations to Coleman Chair Timothy Stearns

Dr. Timothy M. Stearns, Coleman Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies at California State University, Fresno, recently received the 2009 President’s Award of Excellence from Fresno State president John D. Welty in recognition of his integrity, leadership and commitment to his university and the Fresno community.

Click here for more information.

Thirteen Community Colleges Awarded Grants at NACCE Conference

Thirteen community colleges from across the country were awarded a total of $85,700 in the Elevator Grant competition funded by the Coleman Foundation and the John E. and Jeanne T. Hughes Foundation at the National Association for Community Colleges Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Conference on January 6, 2009.

 

This grant program employs investments in three categories of work to introduce or expand self-employment education on campus: faculty development, community outreach, and linkage activities between K-16 education systems.

 

The “elevator grant” method is based on the business planning skill of describing a new business venture in a three-minute pitch that could be given to a potential investor during an elevator ride. Using similar concepts, the Coleman and Hughes foundations have conducted sessions for secondary, community college and collegiate educators to demonstrate the impact of well placed small grants and to promote the value of self-employment. The last three sessions have resulted in the awarding of a total of more than $250,000 to 47 schools for the advancement of Entrepreneurship education in community colleges.

 

Applicants from community colleges across the nation submitted a short proposal describing their program and its expected outcomes. Twenty-four finalists gave a three-minute, in-person “pitch” to foundation representatives on January 5, 2009 at the NACCE Conference in Anaheim, California.  Immediate deliberation by the foundations’ board and staff ensured “on the spot” funding, with grant checks presented the following day.

Colleges receiving grants from the Coleman Foundation were:

Columbia College, CA- $7,500 to support the entrepreneur interview series "Inside the Entrepreneur- Enlightening Lessons," a project to capture stories of local entrepreneurs and create DVDs for instructional purposes for the classroom and community outreach.

Community College of Beaver County, PA - $6,500 to support development of low-income middle school students through a community college entrepreneurship program using National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) curriculum and to host a youth entrepreneurship camp.

Harry S Truman College, IL - $7,500 to develop a family child care entrepreneurship program to help create businesses to address the child care shortage in the community.

Iowa Western Community College, IA - $7,500 to establish an Entrepreneur-in-Residence program. Entrepreneur will interact with faculty, students and community members, act as a mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs, assume in-classroom assignments, offer coaching to community entrepreneurs, and participate in training workshops and seminars.

James Sprunt Community College, NC - $4,200 to develop a training program to include workshops, counseling, community eCommerce web site, entrepreneur participation, and business incubator to help entrepreneurs develop specialty food businesses.

Laramie County Community College, WY - $7,500 to support creation of a cross-campus entrepreneurship advisory committee to achieve integrated entrepreneurship education through partnerships across the campus.

Mid-Plains Community College, NE - $5,000 to develop entrepreneurship workshops in rural community based on a model with combinations of learning tools, technology, and partnerships.

Northeast Higher Education District, MN - $5,000 to support the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour program across five community college campuses intended to create a forum for students to learn the possibilities offered through entrepreneurship.

Pima County Community College District, AZ - $7,500 to support development of an entrepreneurship outreach program and expand service offerings for self-employment, training and business advising to veterans, military in transition, and National Guard members. Also, to expand and strengthen outreach program to increase knowledge and use of entrepreneurial assistance programs available to veterans.

Snow College, UT - $7,500 to support an entrepreneurial lecture series program to deliver inspiration and education from guest lecturers designed to encourage interdisplinary entrepreneurial education, outreach to community entrepreneurs and business owners, and develop K-16 linkages.

Colleges receiving grants from the Hughes Foundation were:

Bunker Hill Community College, MA - $7,500 to support program development of the Community Center for Entrepreneurship designed to promote opportunities and supports for students, alumni and the community, through creation of entrepreneurial studies, partnerships with local business groups, and a resource center to mentor new entrepreneurs.

Colorado Mountain College, CO - $5,000 to implement a pilot business incubator and provide mini-grants to high school and community college students to launch a business or develop a product prototype.

 

Miami Dade College, FL - $7,500 to develop collateral marketing materials focusing on awareness of Entrepreneurship Certificate program and Associate in Science in Marketing Management with a concentration in entrepreneurship while also increasing communication with high school administration, faculty and staff.  

Coleman Foundation Pre-Conference Session at 2009 USASBE

The Coleman Foundation is leading a session at the annual conference of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference (USASBE) in Anaheim, California on Thursday, January 8, 2009 from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.  Entitled “Creating Faculty Champions of Entrepreneurship Outside the B-School and at Community Colleges”, the session will discuss methods to identify and attract faculty from non-business disciplines and community colleges to participate in Entrepreneurship activities.  The Coleman Foundation will also announce at this session a related grant program which will accept applications in the spring of 2009.

Tim Stearns, Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies at California State University, Fresno and David Pistrui, Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurship at Illinois Institute of Technology will highlight their programs which have broadened the exposure and richness of Entrepreneurship education through faculty fellowships.  A panel of fellows from each program will discuss how they are bringing Entrepreneurship to their disciplines across campus.

Also, representatives from National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) will discuss successful collaborative programs between 2- and 4-year institutions. NACCE's annual conference will be held at the same location earlier in the week. 

Registration information for the USASBE pre-conference session may be found here. 

CEO National Conference Sets Records

On November 6-8, 2008, a record number of more than 1,600 members of Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization chapters from community colleges and 4-year schools met in Chicago at the 2008 CEO Annual Conference, sponsored in part by the Foundation.   Students heard keynote addresses from high-profile entrepreneurs, engaged with self-employed individuals in nearly 100 breakout sessions, networked with fellow students from across the country and around the world, and pitched their business ideas in front of judges and fellow attendees.

In addition to inspiring CEO members to return home to continue their preparation for self-employment, the conference was an occasion to recognize the accomplishments of leading CEO chapters.  Eleven chapters were recognized for teaching, networking, running campus businesses and other activities.  The award for overall excellence went to the chapter from Bryant University. 

Additionally, Illinois Institute of Technology was recognized for having the best chapter business; Clarkson University received the prize for best fundraising idea or event; and Canisius College garnered acclaim for both its success in engaging non-business students on campus and for the excellence of Dr. Ji-Hee Kim, its club advisor.

One element of the conference which received direct Foundation support was the Elevator Pitch Contest in which 60 contestants - including 27 winners of campus-based competitions - pitched their business idea to a panel of judges before an audience of fellow students.  The first and second place contestants are both from St. Mary's University.  Shannon Lowry won the $2,500.00 first prize and Sarah Wilkinson claimed $2,000.00 for second place.

The full list of Chapter Award and Elevator Pitch winners follows:

Overall Chapter

Bryant University, Smithfield, RI

Teaching Entrepreneurship

Universidad Metropolitana, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Campus E-Diffusion

Canisius College, Buffalo, NY 

Electronic Networking 

Universidad Metropolitana

In-Person Networking

Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX

Intern for a Day   

Texas Christian University

CEO Chapter Business

Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL

CEO Chapter Website

Bryant University (1st Place)

Texas Christian University (2nd Place)

Chapter Fundraising Idea or Event

Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY (1st Place) 

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI (2nd Place)

Chapter Business Plan

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (1st Place)

Brigham Young University, Provo, UT (2nd Place)

Chapter Exhibit 

Miami University, Oxford, OH (1st Place)

Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY (2nd Place)

CEO Chapter Marketing Plan

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (1st Place)

Brigham Young University (2nd Place)

CEO Student Leader

Lauren Amarante, Bryant University (1st Place)

Brandon Marker, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX (2nd Place)

CEO Chapter Advisor

Dr. Ji Hee Kim, Canisius College (1st Place)

Dr. James Peltier, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (2nd Place)

Elevator Pitch Winners

1st Place - Shannon Lowry, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, TX

2nd Place - Sarah Wilkinson, St. Mary's University

3rd Place - Tyson Hanish, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

4th Place - Michael Adderly, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

Honorable Mention - Jacob Watson, Texas Christian University

Honorable Mention - Katie Racie, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI

A Rural Resource for Families and Children with Autism

Easter Seals of LaSalle and Bureau Counties (ESLB), an affiliate of Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region, offers full evaluations, direct therapy, family counseling and free-of-charge developmental screening to children ages birth to three and their families who live in nine predominantly rural counties in north central Illinois.  ESLB participates in the State of Illinois Early Intervention program and is the only agency in its area providing in-home early intervention services.  Nearly 160 children up to age 13 are served each week through developmental therapy programs, child development and daycare programs and Lekotek assistive technology programs.  Services are provided in child-care centers, private homes and agency facilities across several small, rural towns.

 

Core Activities:

 

In response to information received from families and providers at a series of Community Visioning meetings, ESLB created the Illinois Valley Autism Resource Center in partnership with The Autism Program (TAP).  The Autism Program, Illinois Department of Human Services, Hope Institute, provided partial funding, along with The Coleman Foundation and Easter Seals.    Located within the facility of a partner agency, the 1000 sq. ft. facility provides resources and counseling to individuals with autism and their families.   The Center includes a Family and Community Resource Room containing over 300 items for families and professionals to access including books, DVDs, learning aids, home teaching kits, sensory equipment and computer software.  Many of the materials have been created by professionals at The Autism Program and are duplicated and available at no charge to families and other visitors to the center. The Center is staffed to assist visitors in finding the information they need and, importantly, to tailor resources to meet their specific needs.   

 

Outcomes:

• 167 families used the Center over the course of its first 5 months
• 633 encounters occurred in the first 90 days
• 1,326 items within 35 categories of “freebies” (laminated PECs card sets, books, etc.) were given to families who visited the Center
• A self-administered Community Partner Survey resulted in the maximum satisfaction score of 32

Key Lesson Learned:  There is a Great Need for Recreational Programming in Rural Areas

 

Feedback obtained from families using the Center revealed that there was a lack of recreational options for autistic children in the largely rural area that surrounds the facility.  The Center responded by developing a program that included game nights, art clubs and a family picnic.  A “Safety Night” included fire truck, ambulance and police car along with the corresponding personnel to give individuals with autism the opportunity to see and touch safety vehicles.  Additionally, the Center provided social stories for caregivers to read with children to familiarize them with what is expected during a time of emergency as well as visual schedules relating to each type of emergency.

 

Key Lesson Learned:  Locating Center at a Program Partner Facility Can Pay Dividends

 

Though the original plan called for locating the Center at a distinct storefront site, ESLB decided to establish it within Ottawa Friendship House, a partner agency whose services to developmentally delayed adults complement ESLB’s pediatric services.  This decision not only saved $5,300.00 annually in rent expense, but also positioned the organization to seek intergenerational grant funding and develop joint programming such as Lekotek services and respite care. 

New Outpatient Infusion Center at Mount Sinai Hospital

Mount Sinai Hospital is a 431-bed teaching, research and tertiary-care facility providing health services to Chicago's West Side Community. 

In February 2008, a $75,000 grant was made to the hospital which was used to refurbish its outpatient infusion center, the facility in which patients of the Sinai Cancer Care Center receive chemotherapy treatments.  The project integrated the hospital's inpatient and outpatient services, allowed for additional chemotherapy patient privacy, substantially increased outpatient capacity and enhanced aesthetics of the physical space.

On June 20, Mt. Sinai Hospital held a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of the new Sinai Cancer Care Center.  At right, Beth Hayden, RN, Director, Oncology Patient Care, makes remarks to a group including Michael Hennessy; Alan H. Channing, President and CEO, Sinai Health System; and Dr. Pam Khosla, Medical Director, Oncology.

Misericordia Breaks Ground on New Homes for Disabled

Founded in 1921 as a maternity hospital for women of meager means, Misericordia now supports more than 550 children and adults with developmental disabilities.  Misericordia's campus includes residences as well as several supportive programs.  The organization maintains a waiting list for services numbering over 600 individuals.

In November 2006, a matching grant of $900,000 was made for the construction of one of several planned Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled, housing twelve individuals and located on the Misericordia campus on Chicago's north side.   Foundation funds, matched by both Misericordia's organizational endowment and new funding sources, additionally will provide furnishings for two homes and landscaping of the property; bring electricity and plumbing to the site from existing lines; and construct new parking lots and roadways.

On June 17, 2008, Misericordia broke ground on the construction of four new homes.  At right, Sister Rosemary Connelly, Executive Director of Misericordia, presents Michael Hennessy and Clark McCain with a commemorative plaque marking the Foundation's gift for The Coleman Foundation Home.