1st Edition
Community Colleges as Incubators of Innovation Unleashing Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Communities and Students
While community colleges have traditionally focused on providing students with opportunities to gain credentials for employment, the increasingly important question is: Are they preparing students for the looming dynamic, disruptive, and entrepreneurial environments ahead? This book addresses the urgent need for community colleges to prioritize entrepreneurship education both to remain relevant in a changing economy and to give graduate students the flexible and interdisciplinary mindsets needed for the future of society. It argues that entrepreneurial education should be offered broadly to a wide range of students, and across all disciplines; defines the key constructs for achieving this objective; and describes how to create entrepreneurial learning environments.The expert contributors, with the support of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), start from the premise that community colleges are uniquely positioned to lead entrepreneurial initiatives through both internally-generated curriculum design and through collaboration with the local entrepreneurial community to build bridges between the classroom to the community which in turn can offer models of implementation and constitute a network or support system for students. Community colleges can become incubators of innovation, a magnet for talent, and provide the impetus for development strategies that their communities have not begun to realize. As the chapters make clear, developing an entrepreneurial program itself requires an entrepreneurial mindset that transcends any lack of resources, requiring a spirit of imagination and resourcefulness. This book takes the reader on a journey through the steps needed to build a meaningful, relevant, and sustainable entrepreneurship program, covering program development, curriculum design, appropriate pedagogical approaches, and community engagement.
Foreword—Andy Stoll Acknowledgments—Rebecca A. Corbin and Ron Thomas Introduction. The Impetus for Entrepreneurial Education—Rebecca A. Corbin and Ron Thomas1. Leading With an Entrepreneurial Mindset— Bree Langemo 2. An Entrepreneurial Approach to Entrepreneurial Education—Andrew Gold and Mary Beth Kerly 3. Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Innovate and Flourish—Eugene Giovannini 4. Entrepreneurial and Workforce Development—Christopher Mullin and Doan Winkel 5. Invisible Opportunities. How Collaboration Supports the Growth of an Urban Entrepreneurial Ecosystem—Steven Tello 6. The Ecosystem that Thrives—Deborah Hoover 7. Creating an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Rural Appalachia—Charles Terrell and Joe Kapp 8. Community Colleges as Entrepreneurial Catalysts—Madeline M. Pumariega and Carrie Henderson 9. The Power of Collective Action. A Five-Year Journey—Van Ton-Quinlivan Conclusion. Entrepreneurial Community Colleges. Sustainability and Lessons from the League—Rufus Glasper Afterword—J. Noah Brown Appendix NACCE. A Retrospective—Rebecca A. Corbin and Ron Thomas About the Contributors Index
Biography
Rebecca A. Corbin has served in leadership roles in the community college system for the past decade, as president and CEO of NACCE, and as vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the Foundation for Rowan College at Burlington County in New Jersey. Her passion is fundraising, and sharing thought leadership and practical applications for infusing entrepreneurship on campus and in communities by writing articles and presenting at national and international conferences. She has an Ed.D. in innovation and organizational leadership from Wilmington University in Delaware, a master’s of public administration from the University of Akron, and a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University. Ron Thomas served for 17 years as president of two-year colleges. He joined the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship in 2003, serving as a board member and chairman for two years. During his tenure as chairman Thomas was instrumental in the launch of the Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge (PFEP) in 2011. His passion for entrepreneurship includes writing articles, presenting at national conferences, and working to create entrepreneurship programs and opportunities. He has a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, a master’s degree from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, and an undergraduate degree from Truman State University.
“Community colleges have always been the ‘go to’ place that enables people at all ages and stages of development to access the knowledge and skills needed for work and play. I started my educational path at a community college. Community colleges attract instructors with deep expertise, many of whom have been extremely successful in the private sector. In addition to being subject-matter experts, they are great teachers who are willing to share their knowledge and experience with others. This book reflects this commitment. The authors, who have brought significant benefits to their communities, are now sharing their knowledge and insights with those of us who seek new knowledge and new ways of improving our practice. We applaud NACCE’s leadership in bringing these authors together to provide this new resource for invention educators who must blend making, inventing, and entrepreneurship together as they prepare the next generation of innovators.”
Stephanie Couch, Executive Director
Lemelson-MIT Program
“With the economy transforming at an increasing pace, it is essential that communities continue to empower institutions that will provide the leadership that keeps them connected and competitive. Community colleges are that key institution for many communities around the country, and the authors of Community Colleges as Incubators of Innovation take another step in providing that leadership. The clear examples, tools, and lessons gained from their experiences offer insights that can help make any organization entrepreneurial as communities adapt to the changing economy of the twenty-first century.”
Tim Shaw, Senior Policy Analyst
Bipartisan Policy Center
“Today’s students are faced with an uncertain future where the guarantees of secure employment seem a distant dream. To meet these challenges, colleges need to prepare students with the tools to help them craft their own future by developing an entrepreneurial mindset that makes them independent, self-motivated, problem-solvers for the twenty-first century. NACCE has been a leader in encouraging this transformation within community colleges as this book demonstrates. It provides a practical guide with many examples that encourage entrepreneurial thinking among students and within institutions. I hope you find the book a compelling call to action within your own organization.”
Desh Deshpande, Founder
Deshpande Foundation, Life Member, MIT Corporation, Entrepreneur and Author, “On Entrepreneurship and Impact”
"Educating the next generation of entrepreneurs is rapidly and rightfully becoming a primary focus of institutions of higher education around the globe. In this book, Corbin and Thomas have masterfully assembled a range of impactful, original, and dynamic entrepreneurship education leaders from across the United States to talk insightfully about best practices in our community college system that are sure to spur entrepreneurial action both on and off campus for years to come."
Eric Liguori, Rohrer Chair for Entrepreneurship
Rowan University; President, USASBE
“Our nation's system of community colleges is a vital resource, and I’d urge anyone concerned about the future of our country to read Community Colleges As Incubators of Innovation. The book offers a tapestry of case studies describing the inspiring innovations of community colleges that are determined to equip students of all ages with the ‘entrepreneurial-ness’ needed in careers spanning business, academia, public policy, or social services. As these community colleges re-imagine their role, they're leading the way in providing students with compelling and cost-effective paths to fulfilling lives in an oh-so-dynamic world."
Ted Dintersmith
Author, "What School Could Be"
“Entrepreneurial thinking has the power to facilitate transformational change within our colleges, and this book captures the essence of not only how it can, but why it should. Whether energizing educators to seek innovative curriculum designs, or creating partnerships to better address complex workforce issues in the twenty-first century, the contributing authors make it clear that the entrepreneurial college is the new standard of excellence.”
Edwin Massey, President
Indian River State College
"Overall, this book has several unique merits. First, it incorporates both theoretical groundings and practical perspectives. The book not only focuses on theoretical frameworks and models that address the underlying factors that influence the development of entrepreneurial mindsets and ecosystems; it also highlights the valuable first-hand experiences gained by community college leaders and entrepreneurial education experts regarding how community colleges can serve as focal points for entrepreneurship education, thereby impacting job creation and economic development.
Second, the book provides a wide variety of examples that will be relevant to a broad spectrum of community college leaders, practitioners, and policymakers. The examples used in the book include rural, urban, and suburban community colleges, and vary from states with a relatively small number of community colleges to those with large, complex community college systems. These different cases offer new knowledge relevant to specific contexts and also allow readers to understand the complexity and diversity inherent in creating sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems."
Teachers College Record
