National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship Announces Dates for First-Ever Regional Summit Series

Springfield, MA, February 28, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Five community colleges across the nation will host one-day training sessions this year to promote the growth of entrepreneurship education in their regions. The events, called the NACCE Summits, are being sponsored by the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges.

The colleges hosting the NACCE Summits were chosen through a competition that sought to identify colleges that could host regional events focused on:

• Promoting commitment to an interdisciplinary approach to entrepreneurship education that empowers students to think entrepreneurially; and
• Creating deep-rooted connections with local entrepreneurs that will result in deeper learning experiences for students, improved curricular effectiveness for faculty, engaging opportunities for small business owners, and increased institutional capacity and leadership.

Each summit will have a theme focused on the economic needs of the host college’s region. Here are the locations and dates of the NACCE Summits, which are receiving financial support through NACCE’s partnerships with the Coleman Foundation and Sam's Club:

• Catawba Valley Community College, Hickory, North Carolina – June 3
• Ridgewater College, Willmar, Minnesota – June 7
• Rio Salado Community College, Tempe, Arizona – November 14
• Miami-Dade College, Miami, Florida – November 18
• New River Community and Technical College, Ghent, West Virginia – November 21

“As a NACCE-sponsored training, each regional summit will bring together key stakeholders who are essential in building sustainable, high-impact entrepreneurship programs at community colleges and the areas they serve,” said NACCE Executive Director Heather Van Sickle. “As part of each gathering, attendees will have the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurially-minded colleagues, share best practices, and gain core skills that enable them to implement the five action steps of NACCE’s Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge. Through the pledge, over 180 community college presidents across the country have committed to helping individuals and families achieve their personal and business dreams.”

About NACCE
The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is an organization of educators, entrepreneurs, and distinguished business development professionals providing quality programs and services in entrepreneurship education and serving as advocates community-based entrepreneurship. Founded in 2002, NACCE is at the heart of the "entrepreneurship movement.” Through membership, an annual conference and exhibition, a quarterly journal, monthly webinars and podcasts, a dynamic list-serv, and other resources, NACCE serves as the hub for the dissemination and integration of knowledge and successful practices regarding entrepreneurship education and student business incubation. These programs and courses advance economic prosperity in the communities served by its member colleges. NACCE is a founding member of the White House-led Startup America Partnership. For more information, visit http://www.nacce.com.