The awards were announced at the NACCE Annual Conference, now being held in Boston, where NACCE celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. NACCE was founded in 2002 on the Springfield Technical Community College campus in Springfield, MA.
2020 Heather Van Sickle Entrepreneurial College Award
Vance-Granville Community College’s selection as the NACCE 2022 Entrepreneurial College of the Year validates the leadership of President Rachel Desmarais, Ph.D., who has steadily expanded the college’s entrepreneurial initiatives. In 2021, President Desmarais signed NACCE’s Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge (PFEP), committing the college to five steps of action aimed at creating economic vitality through entrepreneurship. Among a number of other entrepreneurial initiatives, the college also hosted an innovative youth entrepreneurship camp called “Be a’ Trep” (short for Entrepreneur) for area middle school students who wanted to become entrepreneurs.
“Through innovative Vance-Granville Small Business Center events and other entrepreneurial programs, the college has demonstrated its commitment to promoting entrepreneurship throughout the region in which it operates,” said Rebecca Corbin, Ed.D. , President and CEO of NACCE. “It is my pleasure to recognize this outstanding college, selected by an independent jury, as the 2022 NACCE Entrepreneurial College of the Year Winner.”
Entrepreneur Award 2022
James Murdaugh, Ph.D., was named the 2022 NACCE Entrepreneur President of the Year for his leadership in entrepreneurial endeavors at Tallahassee Community College. Some examples are:
· Creation of ‘TCC Spark’, a program focused on equipping student entrepreneurs with the skills, tools and connections needed to start and grow successful businesses;
Established the Wakulla Environmental Institute, which spearheaded the establishment of the Florida oyster aquaculture industry. The program is responsible for the creation of over 100 companies and more than 300 new jobs in the region;
· Hosting ‘Entrepreneurship Educators’ Meetings’, bringing together educators from across the country to share insights into entrepreneurship education.
“We are proud to honor President Murdaugh with NACCE’s 2022 Entrepreneurial President of the Year award,” said Corbin. “Through his unwavering commitment to promoting entrepreneurship through innovative programs at TCC, he is shining a national spotlight on the value of entrepreneurship curricula and programs in community colleges and beyond.”
About NACCE
NACCE is an organization of educators, administrators, presidents and entrepreneurs focused on promoting entrepreneurship in their communities and on their campus. NACCE has two primary goals: to empower college leaders to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset, and to empower the community college’s role in supporting the creation of jobs and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystems. NACCE has over 340 member universities representing nearly 2,000 members and approximately 3.3 million students. Visit www.nacce.com for more information. Follow us on Twitter @NACCE, like us on Facebook and join our LinkedIn group.
