Monday, 09/26/2022
Cape Fear Region Minority Enterprise Development Week returns for the eighth year and features 30 programs to support minority entrepreneurs. Scheduled for October 3-7, the conference will feature free in-person and virtual seminars and workshops.
The week-long event features a variety of workshops including successful business planning, startup tips, financial health and wellness, and marketing. There are also sessions for Latinx business leaders and entrepreneurs, with some presentations in Spanish.
Several UNCW faculty and staff will share insights into design and construction at UNCW and social entrepreneurship.
“Our panel, Social Entrepreneurship Panel: Growing Your Business and Your Society, is about how to start and run businesses in impactful ways,” said Heather McWhorter, director of the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “People are drawn to entrepreneurship for different reasons. Not everyone wants to make money from it. This panel will discuss social entrepreneurship – doing good while doing good. Hopefully it will give participants the impetus to start their business or grow their business for the social good. We will provide participants with some tools to get started.”
The Social Entrepreneurship session will feature McWhorter; dr Karl Ricanek, computer science professor, director of the I3S Institute & Face Aging Group and co-founder of Lapetus Solutions, Inc.; and dr Chris Prentice, Associate Professor of Public Administration. The moderator is Dr. Jess Boersma, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Associate Director of I3S.
The Design and Construction at UNC Wilmington session educates individuals about the types of projects on campus and how the university contracts with companies. UNCW Facilities staff Harry Eason, Support Coordinator for the Historically Underutilized Program; Tom McCarley, director of project management; and Rachel Patrick, director of architecture and construction services, will chair the session.
The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce presents the Cape Fear MED Week Conference. In 2015, UNCW hosted the Cape Fear Region’s first MED Week to recognize the impact of minority businesses and level the playing field by providing guidance, networking and business development opportunities. The university remains committed to using programs and resources to improve relationships and expand collaboration to grow minority businesses in the Southeast North Carolina area.
Cape Fear Region MED Week is part of the national observance of Minority Enterprise Development Week established by a 1983 Presidential Proclamation. Registration is open and early registration is recommended. Visit the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce website for the full program schedule and registration details. The event is public.
– Venita Jenkins
