Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program Named National Model
The award is presented by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
San Diego State University has been named the National Model Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program for 2017 by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.“Entrepreneurship is an important part of the business education experience for many SDSU students.”
The award was presented at USASBE’s annual meeting last month to Alex DeNoble, executive director of the university’s Lavin Entrepreneurship Center in the Fowler College of Business.
SDSU was recognized for offering “high quality and innovative programs…to educate and train future generations of entrepreneurs” and establishing a “model undergraduate program” that reflects “innovation, quality, comprehensiveness, sustainability, transferability, depth of support and impact.”
"Our groundbreaking entrepreneurship programs offer students from all disciplines the educational means and access to critical resources that lead to the establishment of new ventures which play a vital role in the global economy," said SDSU Provost and Senior Vice President Chukuka Enwemeka. "This national recognition is also due in part to our valued donors who support these programs and have played a critical role in the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center’s continued growth."
The Lavin Entrepreneurship Center serves students, entrepreneurs and business leaders through its entrepreneurship curriculum, workshops, internships, resources and events. The mission of the center is to inspire entrepreneurship across the campus and enable students to develop the entrepreneurial competencies necessary to compete in the global economy.
“Entrepreneurship is an important part of the business education experience for many SDSU students,” said George Belch, interim dean of SDSU’s Fowler College of Business. “Our entrepreneurship program is designed to ensure that our students learn what it takes to start and sustain a successful business. We also give them the tools to explore their own ideas and put their creativity into practice.”
SDSU also offers an entrepreneurship minor and its startup incubator, the Zahn Innovation Platform Launchpad, has helped launch dozens of companies.
“San Diego State’s extensive track record of offering consistently innovative educational opportunities to future entrepreneurs should be considered a model for other colleges and universities to emulate,” said Patrick Snyder, executive director at USASBE. “Additionally, Alex DeNoble has earned a reputation for helping USASBE’s other university members to achieve a high degree of success. His experience and sound judgement are considered a vital asset by the USASBE leadership.”
