Eight of Arkansas’ two-year colleges will begin offering a business degree option and certificate in entrepreneurship in the fall, the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges announced Thursday at a Little Rock news conference.
The agreement is subject to curriculum approval by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which is expected Friday.
The entrepreneurship curriculum was developed by the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Division of Business and Computer Information and was presented to other two-year institutions.
Eight of the state’s 22 two-year colleges joined a consortium and will offer the associate of business degree and certificate in entrepreneurship.
The eight schools in the consortium include Arkansas State University – Beebe; East Arkansas Community College; North Arkansas College; NorthWest Arkansas Community College; Ouachita Technical College; South Arkansas Community College; Southern Arkansas University Tech; and University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville.
Pulaski Technical College and Southeast Arkansas College will join the consortium in October.
"This new degree in entrepreneurship will give Arkansans the knowledge and skills they need to start their own businesses with confidence," Ed Franklin, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges, said. "Economic development is more important than ever in today’s economy, and this program will help to create jobs in Arkansas by enabling and empowering people to start their own businesses."
The news conference was held at Arkansas Capital Corporation.
"For over half a century Arkansas Capital Corporation Group’s mission has been the development of Arkansas enterprises," C. Sam Walls, CEO of Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, said. "Those objectives require entrepreneurial talent and capital resources. We continue to be fully committed to our partners, such as the Association of Two-Year Colleges, who are using their resources to develop the next generation of great Arkansas Entrepreneurs."
The degree option is for an applied associate’s degree in business management and/or a stand-alone certificate in entrepreneurship. Other two-year institutions may join the collaboration at a later date.
"Although the degree is in the business department, the intent is for the degree to become interdisciplinary so that students in other areas can learn how to become entrepreneurial in thinking and practice regardless of their interest," NWACC President Becky Paneitz, said. "For example, if a student were focusing on graphic design in an associate’s degree, this certificate prepares them for graphic design business ownership. The curriculum also prepares students for entrepreneurial thinking within a corporate setting."
In addition to the eight colleges offering the entrepreneurship degree track, the Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium is partnering with Arkansas State University to develop a career pathway in entrepreneurship to be delivered to 12 counties in eastern Arkansas through the ADTEC University Center, located at Mid-South Community College in West Memphis.
The pathway will include multiple entry and exit points at the high school, community college and university levels, including a certificate of proficiency, technical certificate, associate degree and baccalaureate degree. Students can begin earning college credits while in high school that apply toward a college credential upon high school graduation. The program can be replicated in all secondary technical centers across the state.
"Arkansas ranks near the top of states in terms of new jobs created by ‘gazelle’ businesses, which are fast-growing firms that grow more than 20 percent each year," Glen Fenter, president of Mid-South Community College, said. "About 6,000 to 9,000 new jobs are started in Arkansas each year, with these firms creating about 50,000 total new jobs each year in our state, so there is definitely a need to offer an entrepreneurship degree and certificate track in our two-year colleges. This program will help to ensure that these new businesses are successful and can continue to provide growth and wealth for Arkansas."
ADTEC colleges are Arkansas Northeastern College; Arkansas State University – Newport; East Arkansas Community College; Mid-South Community College; and Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas.
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