Announcing the NACCE Leadership Academy

The NACCE Leadership Academy is one of three main areas of focus in NACCE's 2024 - 2026 Strategic Plan. The first Academy offering for 2025, the Innovation Leadership Lab, will take place on June 3rd at Tallahassee State College. The concept of the Lab was tested and refined through the Entrepreneurial College of the Future (ECOF) pilot program that started with a facilitated convening in Charlotte, NC in June of 2022.

The Innovation Leadership Lab is limited to 50 participants. It is an intensive day-long workshop led by experts that will focus on enrollment and retention and a challenge you bring to the session. The Lab will be held the day before the Pathways To Prosperity Summit, taking place June 4 - 6. We encourage you to register for both experiences.

For more details, visit NACCE Leadership Academy.

Pitch for the Skilled Trades Competition - Ask Me Anything

March 13, 2025, 2 p.m. ET

Empowering Entrepreneurs: Building Social Capital and Skills Through Peer Mentorship

March 20, 2025, 2 p.m. ET

Supercharge Your Income with AI: Practical Tools and Strategies

April 8, 2025, 2 p.m. ET

The Future of Work Challenge

April 10, 2025, 12 p.m. ET

May 22, 2025, 12 p.m. ET

June 19, 2025 12 p.m. ET

July 17, 2025 12 p.m. ET

NACCE Leadership Academy - Sneak Peek!

April 16, 2025, 2 p.m. ET

Click here to register for any of these free webinars now!

Carlene Cassidy Receives Inaugural Wayfinder Award

The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), North America’s leading advocate for entrepreneurship education and programming for community and technical colleges, has named Carlene Cassidy, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, as the inaugural winner of its Wayfinder Award.

This inaugural award reflects the essence of what it means to lead with vision, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to fostering entrepreneurship. Cassidy’s remarkable achievements – as a founding NACCE member, a trailblazer in entrepreneurship at Anne Arundel Community College, and the driving force behind the impactful work of the Ratcliffe Foundation – have inspired countless individuals. Her mentorship and advocacy have not only strengthened NACCE’s mission, but have also transformed lives through initiatives such as NACCE’s annual “Pitch for the Skilled Trades” and support of the SkillPointe pilot project.

Usine F.I.R.E. to Fight Imposter Syndrome

By Rebecca Smith, Side Hussle Playbook and Santa Fe Community College Alumni

Smith will be speaking at the 2025 Pathways to Prosperity Summit in June

I remember it like it was yesterday - I was walking down the hallway of the 554,000 sq ft Home Shopping Network Complex in St. Petersburg, FL, on my way to be an on-air guest and sell a product line I had developed exclusively for HSN. The endless hours, emotional toll and financial stress that came with the opportunity were undeniable. This was a once in-a-lifetime shot for a self-funded entrepreneur like me. I had poured hours into the product research and development, supply sourcing and assembly of the product line.

Welcome to New Member Champlain College Saint-Lambert

NACCE welcomes new member Champlain College Saint-Lambert from Saint-Lambert, Quebec, Canada.

Champlain College Saint-Lambert is a constituent of Champlain Regional College, located on the South Shore of Montreal. The constituent College offers both pre-university and technical DEC programs through the regular division as well as attestation of studies (AEC), recognition of acquired competencies courses (RAC), and non-credit courses and activities through the Continuing Education Department. There are approximately 3,000 students enrolled at Saint-Lambert.

Have You Checked Out NACCE on LinkedIn?

Following NACCE on LinkedIn keeps you connected to the latest in entrepreneurship education, workforce development, and innovation within community colleges. Stay informed about grant opportunities, industry partnerships, upcoming events, and success stories that inspire entrepreneurial thinking. Engage with a network of educators, business leaders, and changemakers driving economic impact through entrepreneurship. Don't miss out on valuable resources, insights, and opportunities to collaborate—follow NACCE today!

Chandler-Gilbert Community College Celebrates New Entrepreneurship Center

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC), under the leadership of the Business and Computing Studies Division and with grant support from Wells Fargo, recently celebrated the grand opening of its new Entrepreneurship Center, a key resource for student innovation and business growth. The event started with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke, CGCC President CJ Wurster, Faculty Chair Barbara Gonzalez, and Lead Residential Faculty members Jamie Goff and Lana Short.

Mayor Hartke and President Wurster delivered inspiring speeches, emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurship in the community, before President Wurster and Faculty Member Jamie Goff cut the ceremonial teal ribbon, officially opening the center. Guests then toured the facility, which features collaborative spaces for students, a greenscreen, business resources, and office hours with a Small Business Development Center coach. They also enjoyed a breakfast spread and CGCC merchandise before diving into a series of informative workshops featuring:

Steven Baron of Pluralsight, a seasoned Software Engineer, shared his insights on building successful tech ventures and the importance of innovation in software development.
Eric Tolotti of Snowflake, a Data Engineer, joined Steven Baron in discussing how data and technology intersect with entrepreneurship, providing attendees with valuable tools to leverage data for business success.
Anita Telle, a successful Entrepreneur, spoke about her journey in the business world, including the ins and outs of selling products through Amazon and the process of publishing her books. Her session gave attendees actionable advice for building and selling products online while addressing the social impact of entrepreneurship.

Bellwether Award Winners Announced

The Bellwether College Consortium hosted its 31st Annual Community College Futures Assembly (CCFA) and announced the three Bellwether Award winners from a national pool of 88 applicants.

Click here to discover all the winners.

P&HCC Opens HEO Training Center

Patrick & Henry Community College recently celebrated the launch of its new Heavy Equipment Operator program in Patrick County with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This hands-on training initiative is designed to equip students with the skills needed to enter the workforce as highly trained professionals in the field. The program reflects the college’s ongoing commitment to workforce development and addressing industry needs within the community. The event highlighted the collaboration and support from various partners, with special gratitude extended to the Ratcliffe Foundation for its generous contribution, which has been instrumental in making this program a reality.

Call For Proposals open for 2025 NACCE Annual Conference

Join the Community of Entrepreneurial Leaders and Innovators

The NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship) community of entrepreneurial leaders and practitioners is preparing for our annual conference, where we come together to celebrate the entrepreneurial mindset and foster innovative action. For our upcoming NACCE 2025 Conference, we invite you to be part of exchanging best practices, experiences, and lessons from both successes and setbacks.

Submit Your Proposal Today.

Hoping to Share Your News with NACCE Members?

The spring issue of Community College Entrepreneurship is currently underway, and we hope to include news about what you’re doing to ingrain innovation and entrepreneurial mindset at your community college.

We urge you to take the opportunity to share scholarly articles about new or evolving practices, resources, and curriculum that supports or demonstrates entrepreneurship.

Articles should be limited to 500-550 words for news, success stories, and how-to advice. Scholarly articles should be 1,200 words. Shorter pieces can run as part of the “Member News” section. If you have an interesting book related to entrepreneurship, you can share it through the journal’s “What Are You Reading?” section.

The deadline to submit material for the upcoming issue is Monday, March 24. All submissions should be sent to NACCE editor Carol Savage at editor@nacce.com.

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