Academic Initiatives:
The ACE Center promotes the study of, and engagement in, creative and entrepreneurial activities, including the development of an Entrepreneurship Minor. The minor places an emphasis on teaching students how to think creatively so that they may work within small or large business firms or go into business for themselves. The development of the minor has already resulted in the addition of courses such as “Creativity and Entrepreneurship,”and “Social Entrepreneurship,” and we are in the process of developing additional classes on “International Entrepreneurship,” “Franchise Management”,and “Family Business Management.” In addition to developing new courses, the ACE center also facilitates student and faculty participation in academic pursuits of creativity and entrepreneurship, including competitions, research projects, and presentation attendance. The ACE Center not only makes the SSU community aware of activities outside of campus (e.g., the OFC Venture Challenge, Savannah FastPitch Competition), but also organizes activities on campus for SSU and Savannah community members to attend. For instance, we bring in local entrepreneurs and creativity and entrepreneurship experts onto campus to share their expertise. The Center also plans to develop workshops for other SSU faculty members on incorporating creativity and entrepreneurship related topics into the classroom. To support both external and internal efforts to engage in creative and entrepreneurial activities, members of the ACE Center regularly build relationships with other creativity and entrepreneurship educators in the region to coordinate events and assist our students in collaborative efforts. Professional Initiatives: In addition to fostering the education of creativity and entrepreneurship concepts, the ACE Center also assists members of the SSU community in practicing creativity and entrepreneurship. These efforts include providing a physical space (Jordan 153) with resources for budding entrepreneurs to work on their business plans including books, software, and printing and publishing materials. The space also serves as a meeting spot for members of the SSU community to meet with local entrepreneurs and consultants who can provide them with guidance and advice on their business plans, feedback on presentations, and help networking with local investors or relevant parties. Research Initiatives: Finally, the ACE center houses a research program focused on furthering our understanding of creativity and entrepreneurship. Students and faculty work together on research projects and submit their findings to relevant journals and conferences. |
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