Future Force Nebraska

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PATHWAY - MINUTES

Nebraska Career Pathways Project
FutureForce Entrepreneurship - NET Force Steering Team
Executive Planning Summary
April 7, 2006 10:00 am - noon

Location: Central Community College

In Attendance: John Blaylock, Northeast CC Gene Manhart, Central CC
Laura Bulas, Central CC Michelle Roggasch, CCC, Kathy Eitzman, Southeast CC Marilyn Schlake, UNL-CARI, Joe Ferguson, Northeast CC Craig Schroeder, Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Lisa Jennings, Educational Consultant Judy Shonerd, SCC, Chuck Karpf, Western Nebraska CC Guy Suganuma, Central CC, Doris Lux, Central Community College Brock Williams, Metro CC, Dennis Headrick called the meeting to order at 10:10a at Central Community College in Grand Island.

1. Meeting Summaries – no changes were suggested for November 8, 2005 and February 3, 2006

2. Additions to agenda – Add Resource Guide discussion to Agenda 5d.

3. Curriculum Committee Updates: (Dennis H)

a. Course Syllabi – The Instructional Officers have made changes to the syllabi.
Action Item: Dennis Headrick will mail out the changed syllabi.

The following colleges will offer the program in the following sequence:

Northeast CC
- Intro to Entrepreneurship (Fall 06)
- Opportunity Analysis (Spring 07)
- Business Plan (Fall 07)

Central CC
- Intro to Entrepreneurship (Spring 06)
- Opportunity Analysis (Summer 06)
- Legal Issues or Financial Taxes plus Marketing (Fall 07)
- Legal Issues or Financial Taxes plus Business Plan (Spring 07)

Metro CC
- will be offering courses in the fall.

Shared development of online courses will be decided by the CIOs. A web template will also need to be developed. Currently, all colleges are using Web CT as their delivery mechanism.

Action Item: Dennis will bring these issues to the next CIO Meeting (May 8).

b. Standards Crosswalk – The crosswalk document was distributed by Lisa. There was one minor change. The group decided to not address the levels of competency.

4. Funding & Partnership Committee Update

a. Federal Proposal Initiative Update – Dennis distributed an update from Chris Kiple on three requests. The Congressional delegation got behind the Gallup $1.1 million (Southeast 50%; Scottsbluff 25%; Northeast 5%; Central 5%; Mid-Plains 5%; Metro 5%); and SCC HUD requests and dropped the NET Force request.

5. Resource/E-Center Committee – Status from each Community College

Western NE CC Update
90 kids in Discovery Program; Entrepreneurship – working with 2 high schools with EDDGE curriculum; delivery over distance ed system is targeted; 2-3 summer institutes/seminars for Hispanic community along with the Native American community. WNCC was awarded USDA RBEG (Rural Business Entrepreneurship Grant) up to $50,000; requires matching dollars. Chuck has applied for DED’s Rural BECA (Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act). WNCC Building Phase II – Incubator, building rental and classroom areas are being built in the John Harms Center.

Central CC Update
Hastings has $10,000 to run an incubator and is in the process of hiring a center director. The Central Community College Foundation is funding the Hastings incubator. Doris Lux said they are working with Tech Prep Coordinators this summer. Columbus is offering a middle school camps. Entrepreneurship advisory board is meeting this week. At GI, Gene reported that the focus is on course development. NE Rural Econ Dev is looking in the Marketing Fair. Grand Island Central Catholic students feed into CCC through the ZOX.

Northeast Update
John Blaylock will be working on Tech Prep credit articulation, will offer Into to Entrepreneurship through distance learning in the fall; Joe Ferguson is working with startup businesses particularly minorities–Hispanics and Somali. Agreement with Elkhorn Valley Economic Development Corporation four county group that assists 4 counties and 17 communities funded by per capita annual fee); has located a major Fortune 500 company in an empty building and plans to offer some business entrepreneur opportunities in the remainder of the space—dependent on future funding. Several EDGE classes are being offered – O’Neill, Stuart, Hartington; EDGE funded by coalition of business sponsorships and charge tuition; Center for Rural Affairs is working with the Hispanic community also.

Metro CC Update
Brock said that Metro has no space and no money. There is an outreach program offering dual credit with OPS and their senior business students. Metro is currently offering two sections in Intro to Business online along with a course in Finance.

Southeast Update
Southeast submitted a DED grant to establish a support position at the Entrepreneurship Resource Center. Tim Mittan has been hired as the Director of the Entrepreneurship Center. Lincoln Public Schools plans to offer the program this fall in the Gallup building. Incubators will be established for students and the public. The 5th floor currently has
leases expiring, and there are plans to take over that space.

Fund Raising – Venture capital and low-interest loans were discussed. Foundations are also another source. Judy Shonerd reported on the following grant opportunities:

* Community College JTG – guidelines will be available soon
* Nebraska Perkins Innovation Grants – due April 30
* Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act Grants (NE Rural Development Commission) - available in fall ($15,000 – 20,000 range)
* Economic Development (Federal) – population decrease, income, and unemployment level were criteria – deadline coming up soon – includes building

6. Marketing & Public Information Committee – The current members on this committee have not attended a meeting in some time. The following people offered to serve on this committee: Doris Lux, Chuck Karpf, Gene Manhart, Judy Shonerd

a. Brochure development – Lisa shared the FutureForce folders and two inserts that have been produced through FutureForce. One of the pathway brochures (Industrial Manufacturing), which is the most fully developed pathway, was also shared. Some ideas were: College course offerings, career cluster “pie,” career options, feature successful Nebraska entrepreneurs and the Entrepreneur Checklist.

Action Item:
Dennis Headrick will assemble a group of community college representatives to work on an Entrepreneurship brochure. Lisa will work with this group.

b. PowerPoint Presentation – One is available that Southeast has used.

Action Items:
Dennis will email and Lisa will post online on the FutureForce website.

c. HS/Public Awareness of what each CC is doing

i. Metro’s Marketing class is developing a marketing plan for the Entrepreneurship curriculum.
ii. John Blaylock asked about a statewide summer meeting to assist in planning a high school outreach or orientation with the high schools. Tim Mittan has volunteered to lead this session.
iii. Doris Lux will present on NET Force at the ACTE Region 5 meeting on April 14-16.

Action Item: Michelle Roggasch offered to get Entrepreneurship articulation on the next Tech Prep meeting agenda.

d. Resource Guide is available online through Tom Osborne’s website; Beyond a Dream video series: NETCHE series?; a resource library is being assembled at WNCC; Entreneurial published 3-ring binders for specific topics; Fast Company, Business 2.0

Action Item: Compile a library resource list – Lisa will start a list and send out to group.

e. Check out the comprehensive entrepreneurship portal – www.networkkansas.org

12:40-1:40p
7. Non-Credit Education Committee

a. Status of EDGE Program at each CC (Marilyn Schlake)
i. McCook, North Platte, Norfolk, Atkinson, Hartington, Stuart, O’Neill, Fremont (First State Bank)

b. Non-Credit Committee Reps – missing reps were added.

Action Item: Dennis will check with Jane Franklin on Metro rep.

c. Non-Credit Modules – It was recommended that the EDGE program be more or less the standard non-credit curriculum. When colleges or students have completed EDGE coursework, more in-depth workshops/seminars may need to be developed from the current entrepreneurship credit courses.

d. REAP (DED) – has funding for specific targeted audiences.

Action Item: Dennis will contact Glynnis McClure for an update on this grant program.

8. Other Items
a. UN Extension Center – no report; Action Item: Dennis will invite Jill Gifford to present at our next meeting.

b. 4-H Clubs Entrepreneurship curriculum and activities (Schlake)
* CyberFair at State Fair – a traveling computer lab will be on hand

* RFPs for curriculum writing are available – middle school curriculum
Phase II (over 5-year period)

* Elementary and Advanced high school curriculum – focused on individuals who want to take the 4-H project and move it into a business. 4-H member is then assigned a mentor.

*Interactive simulation game – working with Illinois possibly – high school
curriculum

* Leader Guides – curriculums can be used by schools and organizations to work on their own

* working on a longitudinal evaluation studies

* 110 4-H career interests (Pick-a-Project) – what are people are going out there; 27,000 kids involved in 4-H in Nebraska; HomeTown Competitiveness Grant providing startup funds.

c. “Think Outside the Box” workshop locations and dates (Salmen-Thomas)-No report

d. UNO Summer Camp update – Application due date - April 1.

9. Committee Structure (2006-07)
a. Executive Team Representatives – reps still needed from Western and Metro

b. Mission Statement/Action Plan – Assigned committee members will review their assigned goal in the Action Plan and make recommendations at the next meeting.

All are to review the mission statement and goals.

c. Meeting Structure/Schedule – It was agreed to meet twice a year.

d. Next Meeting date (see below)

e. Curriculum & Support Leader – Dennis will talk to Tim Mittan about leading this group. Guy Suganuma stepped down in February.
The meeting adjourned at 1:40p.

NEXT Curriculum & Support MEETING: TBA