KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Kansas City Kansas Community College is inviting the community to “connect” through the college’s new Entrepreneurship Certificate of Completion.
Partnering with the Kauffman Foundation and the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative, KCKCC is offering the new for-credit Entrepreneurship Certificate of Completion utilizing curriculum from Kauffman’s FastTrac® Planning the Entrepreneurial Venture™ and Ice House -The Entrepreneurial Mindset.
“A partnership with the Kauffman Foundation is important because when it comes to entrepreneurship and education, the foundation is noted throughout the world,” said Marvin Hunt, dean of Business and Continuing Education at KCKCC. “They just happen to be in Kansas City. The college will benefit through this partnership by participating in their programming, such as their Million Cups events, using their FastTrac curriculum and other supports.”
This kick-off event is from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Aug. 5 in the Upper Level of the Jewell Student Center on the KCKCC campus, 7250 State Ave.
Representatives from the Kauffman Foundation and the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative will be on hand to discuss their innovative entrepreneurial programs. In addition, Kauffman FastTrac graduates will be available to share their experiences and entrepreneurial pathways toward success and local entrepreneurs will be available to talk with those who are interested on an individual basis.
“The Kauffman Foundation has been a key driver in the development and implementation of entrepreneurship training and research for over 20 years,” said Karen Gaines, coordinator of the marketing program and instructor of business courses at KCKCC. “The foundation has wanted our school to be involved with their programming, especially with them being in our backyard. The timing is right and to be a part of this network of institutions offering their quality programming is a benefit to the school.”
Hunt said KCKCC has had a long-standing partnership with the Kauffman Foundation through several events including the annual Innovation Summit, in which their leadership has provided keynote addresses.
He said as KCKCC learned more about their academic programming, using their curriculum seemed like a natural fit.
“It is quite significant that KCKCC was invited, by Kauffman, to be a part of the Slingshot Network, which is a national network of the most entrepreneurial community colleges in the United States,” he said. “High quality education is key. It will be important for KCKCC students to learn about entrepreneurship by using the highest quality and most current curriculum. Our affiliation in the Slingshot Network also brings recognition to KCKCC as a progressive and entrepreneurially-minded community college. President (Doris) Givens always states that Kansas City Kansas Community College is the most progressive, forward thinking, forward moving, entrepreneurial community college in the entire state of Kansas. Success begets success. We have been successful in gaining a reputation in entrepreneurship, but I am not satisfied stopping there. We need to better engage students in entrepreneurship and help our community grow new entrepreneurs at a faster rate. This builds wealth in the community and for individuals.”
For information about the Entrepreneurship Certificate of Completion or the kick-off event, contact Gaines at kgaines@kckcc.edu.
