Millersville University announced the opening of the new Entrepreneurial Leadership Center (ELC) with a celebration in Gordinier Hall.
University President Dr. Francine McNairy, and University provost, Dr. Vilas Prabhu, spoke at the event on Dec. 11, to mark the beginning of a center focused on the University’s devotion to community involvement.
The goal of the ELC is to support regional economic development by creating programs for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
One of the ways that the ELC plans to reach out to the community is through offering entrepreneurial seminars and assistance. Dr. Melvin Allen, will serve as the Project Director of ELC.
Dr. Allen also directs the Civic and Community Engagement and Research Project (CCERP), another organization promoting regional economic development.
Other professors involved with this project include Dr. Marlene Arnold, who acts as a liaison between the ELC and local businesses; and Dr. Jean Kabongo, who will focus efforts on guiding faculty to incorporate entrepreneurial thinking into everyday courses. Kabongo also leads the new student Entrepreneurship Club.
A major emphasis of the ELC will be on developing Asian business connections, particularly with China.
This will allow the relationship that Millersville has made by bringing businesspeople from China to its campus through the Shanghai Executive Training Program for the past 10 years to come full cycle.
A business delegation will head to China this June for a sequence of seminars with Chinese business leaders.
The visit overlaps with the World Expo held in Shanghai, where an anticipated 70 million visitors will gather for international business exhibitions and networking.
The opening of “China Desk” also supports the importance that the ELC places on international relations.
Led by Dr. Enyang Guo, the China Desk will provide personal consultation for small businesses and capitalists seeking opportunities to do business with China.
Funded by a three-year grant from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the ELC will pay for itself by charging fees for the services it provides to entrepreneurs.
Anyone who is interested in getting involved with the ELC may contact them at elc@millersville.edu or 717-872-3567.
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