WEST PLAINS, Mo.– Some new and exciting things are happening in the entrepreneurship program at Missouri State University-West Plains, including the addition of new classes to the course schedule, the creation of a Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team for the campus and development of social media sites for program participants.
“We are pleased with how the program has developed since its creation in 2005,” said Cathy Proffitt-Boys, assistant professor of agriculture and entrepreneurship. “We still have more growing to do, but we have some good things going on with the program now.”
Boys expects to add five new classes to the program during the 2011-2012 academic year. The proposed classes have been approved by the Faculty Senate’s Curriculum Committee and the full Faculty Senate.
The courses, which include Marketing for Small Business (EPR 150), Opportunity Analysis (EPR 120), Sales and Customer Service (EPR 130), Funding Acquisition (EPR 260) and Service Learning in Entrepreneurship (EPR 295), will be offered in eight-week blocks instead of during a full 16-week semester and will be worth one or two credit hours instead of the usual three credit hours.
“This change will allow student to focus on more specific subjects at a time, as well as provide for a greater selection of classes,” Boys explained. “Many of these new classes were suggested by our own students, our advisory board members and other community members.”
Most of these classes will be offered online, giving students greater flexibility in “attending” class, she added. “Since these courses are geared for students who are either considering starting their own businesses or are already running a business, time is precious and in short supply. By offering the classes online, students have the flexibility to work on the coursework when it suits their schedule,” Boys said.
Further enhancing the learning process is the development of a SIFE team on campus. Headquartered in Springfield, SIFE is an international non-profit organization that works with leaders in business and higher education to help university students make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders.
“It helps students develop their leadership skills and business acumen while giving them the opportunity to make a positive impact on their community,” Boys explained. “They apply business concepts to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.”
SIFE also gives students the opportunity to compete in an annual series of regional and national competitions, which provides a forum for teams to present the results of their projects and be evaluated by business leaders who serve as judges of the competition.
Currently, there are five entrepreneurship students involved in the local SIFE team, and they conduct their business through the use of office space on Court Square which was donated by local businessman and entrepreneur Toney Aid, Boys said. “The Missouri State-West Plains SIFE organization is relatively new,” she said. “This is our second full year of existence and our first year of having projects. SIFE is a very well respected organization, in part because of its focus on projects that will benefit the community.”
Boys anticipates the local SIFE team will conduct projects that will support clients of the Ozark Small Business Incubator (OzSBI) once it’s up and running.
Some of the current projects sponsored by SIFE include a personal finance seminar, which was conducted Nov. 18; a community arts and crafts show held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, in the lower level of the Lybyer Technology Center at the corner of Missouri and Cass Avenues; and a “Let’s Can Hunger” food drive co-sponsored by Campbell’s Soup designed to collect non-perishable food items for local food banks.
“We hope to make the personal finance seminar an ongoing event to support the personal finance educational components of some of our classes,” Boys explained. “These presentations also are open to the public, so we encourage everyone to attend.”
The arts and crafts show, she added, provided a convenient and economical outlet for local artists and craftsmen to sell their products.
The food drive will continue through the 2011 spring semester, with collection boxes at the West Plains and Mountain Grove campuses, Boys said. “We are pleased that some of the area elementary and secondary schools also have become involved in our food drive, as well,” she added.
Students and area residents interested in the entrepreneurship program can keep up to date with the latest happenings online through the program’s new blog, The Entrepreneurial Spirit, at http://blogs.missouristate.edu/wpentrepreneurialspirit/ or through its Facebook page, Missouri State University-West Plains Entrepreneurship Programs.
“Our newest addition is the blog, which provides additional resources and information about our programs that can’t be found in other areas on the university’s website,” Boys said. This includes information about classes, seminars, SIFE projects and other resources for entrepreneurs. Boys also hopes to use the blog to spotlight successful student entrepreneurs so they can share the reasons why they went into business and give practical advice to other students and area residents interested in starting their own businesses.
The SIFE group also has its own Facebook group, Missouri State University-West Plains SIFE, which contains more SIFE specific information, Boys said.
Missouri State-West Plains offers an Associate of Applied Science in Entrepreneurship degree, a certificate in entrepreneurship and a certificate in small business management, the latter of which was created in 2009 to support OzSBI clients. The program also is supported by the Wendell Bailey Entrepreneurship Program Endowment, which provides funds for conference attendance, guest speakers, and other program specific activities and events.
For more information about the entrepreneurship programs at Missouri State-West Plains, contact Boys at 417-255-7278 or by e-mail at CathyBoys@MissouriState.edu, or call the admissions office at 417-255-7955. Information also is available online at http://wp.missouristate.edu/Academics/Entrepreneurship.htm.