November 1, 2018– Kentucky’s Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE) announces Northern Kentucky University as the host campus for the 2019 summer session.
The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs, established in 2013, believes that exposing teens to entrepreneurship allows them to see the world differently. To usher in a new era in business innovation, Kentucky looks to increase entrepreneurial endeavors and make it easier for future entrepreneurs to be successful.
The GSE/NKU partnership will target the secondary and post-secondary level to cultivate talented entrepreneurs. The program will develop year-round initiatives that focus on sparking the entrepreneurial passion of Kentucky’s youth.
“The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs enrolls highly motivated and talented teens from across the Commonwealth, and I’m proud NKU will have a role in exposing these students to the entrepreneurial way of thinking,” said President Ashish Vaidya, Northern Kentucky University. “Through our Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) Jumpstart program, we have seen how introducing the startup mindset to high school students impacts them. It empowers these future leaders to foster innovation and inspire change. NKU and the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region is the perfect location for the GSE with our emphasis on nurturing talent, fostering innovation and enhancing community vibrancy.”
The success of the CIE, housed in the Haile/US Bank College of Business, helped to lay the groundwork for this partnership. NKU’s innovative, transdisciplinary academic experience complements GSE's creative, immersive entrepreneurial experience. Mac Glidewell, executive director of GSE, is elated about the partnership.
"At GSE we strive to work with people and organizations embodying an entrepreneurial mindset. At NKU the entrepreneurial spirit permeates throughout the campus. From NKU’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to President Vaidya’s entrepreneurial experience and leadership, we know NKU is the perfect host for our program,” said Glidewell.
During the program, motivated teams of high school students develop a business model, design a prototype, and pitch their startup to a large audience and panel of judges. This final event is known as Demo Day. At GSE, they learn about the opportunities, benefits and pitfalls of taking a business concept from the idea phase to the pitch. Teens also learn how to turn failure into opportunity every step of the way. GSE provides an alternative to the standardized learning environment by immersing them in a new way of thinking.
“The 2019 application for the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs will open on November 16,” said Tasha Sams, GSE director. “We encourage teens to visit our website for more information about our program and resources for the application process. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions.”
The GSE program will be held on June 23- July 13th, 2019. The GSE is a partner program with the Governor’s School for the Arts and the Governor’s Scholars Program.
About NKU: Northern Kentucky University is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018! Founded in 1968, we are a growing metropolitan university of more than 14,000 students served by more than 2,000 faculty and staff on a thriving suburban campus near Cincinnati. Located in the quiet suburb of Highland Heights, Kentucky—just seven miles southeast of Cincinnati—we have become a leader in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky by providing a private school education for a fraction of the cost. While we are one of the fastest growing universities in Kentucky, our professors still know our students' names. For more information on our 50th, visit nku.edu/50.
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