New Program Helps Students Launch Business Ideas

>>Theresa Bierer: There is a new program underway on campus with the goal of helping students by launching their business ideas. NACET or the Northern Arizona Center for Emerging Technologies is a business incubator who is starting the Student Incubator Program. They will recruit four students, two from NAU and two from the community college, students who have an idea for a business but need resources and support. >>Russ Yelton: One of the challenges that Flagstaff faces, being a rural community is a lot of brain drain. We have a lot of really well qualified people that we are training who would love to stay in Flagstaff but are leaving because they can't find a job. So we're saying instead of trying to find a job lets help you create one for yourself >>Bierer: Participants will receive a 2,500 dollar grant and a year of guidance from the many mentors that volunteer through NACET >>Marc Chopin: So having someone who can work with them, who can mentor them through the process for developing a business plan, knowing what will work, what wont. Then monitoring if they progress, see whether or not they are progressing towards their goals as they should, if not what can be done to improve? >>Bierer: In this inaugural year of the student incubator program, people will get the opportunity to take what they learned in the classroom and apply it to real scenarios >>Yelton: So we realize that not all of them will be successful, and that is fine. We want them to have the experience of trying to operate a real business before they enter the business world >>Bierer: This program is aligned with the teaching philosophy at the W.A. Franke College of Business where students are prepared to transition from school to the work place. >>Chopin: Many of our students have work experience while they are with us at the university, but many don't have the sort of professional experience we would like them to have as they move forward. >>Bierer: Organizers say this project will help some students achieve that goal. Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick recently praised NACET's efforts in job creation. The U.S. representative from district one says she'd like to see students have job opportunities in Flagstaff >>Ann Kirkpatrick: You know I am so proud of what NAU is doing and the community college, educating the next generation of workers here in Flagstaff and collaborating with the incubator so they'll have jobs. >>Bierer: Recruitment for the Student Incubator Program is underway.