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%20recently%20signed%20an%20articulation%20agreement%20to%20create%20a%202%2B2%20degree%20program%20in%20Entrepreneurship.%20HCC%20is%20the%20first%20community%20college%20in%20the%20state%20to%20offer%20an%20Associate%20in%20Applied%20Science%20degree%20in%20Entrepreneurship%20and%20the%20first%20to%20enter%20into%20an%20articulation%20agreement%20for%20Entrepreneurship%20with%20WCU.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EAfter%20graduation%20in%20the%20Associate%20in%20Applied%20Science%20program%20in%20Entrepreneurship%2C%20HCC%20students%20will%20directly%20transfer%20to%20WCU%20and%20receive%20two%20years%20of%20credit%20toward%20a%20bachelor%26rsquo%3Bs%20degree%20in%20Entrepreneurship%20through%20the%20articulation%20agreement.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EThis%20agreement%20between%20WCU%20and%20HCC%20will%20provide%20students%20the%20ability%20to%20enter%20WCU%20as%20a%20junior.%20It%20will%20also%20provide%20incentives%20for%20students%20to%20enroll%20at%20HCC%20for%20their%20post-secondary%20education%20due%20to%20the%20low%20tuition%20costs%20and%20ease%20of%20transferability%20of%20credits.%20The%20articulation%20agreement%20is%20effective%20beginning%20in%20the%20fall%20of%202008.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%26quot%3BThis%20partnership%20will%20make%20the%20critical%20study%20of%20entrepreneurship%20more%20accessible%20to%20students%20who%20are%20the%20future%20business%20leaders%20and%20innovators%20of%20our%20region%2C%26quot%3B%20said%20WCU%20Chancellor%20John%20W.%20Bardo.%20%26quot%3BAt%20a%20time%20when%20so%20many%20traditional%20manufacturing%20jobs%20have%20moved%20overseas%2C%20small%20business%20and%20entrepreneurship%20offer%20hope%20for%20our%20continued%20economic%20competitiveness%20across%20this%20state.%26quot%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EHCC%20has%20long%20been%20a%20leader%20in%20helping%20people%20start%20businesses.%20Since%201991%2C%20the%20college%20has%20integrated%20Real%20Entrepreneurship%20through%20Action%20Learning%20(REAL)%20education%20into%20degree%20programs.%20The%20college%20is%20now%20leading%20the%20way%20in%20the%20North%20Carolina%20Community%20College%20System%20with%20the%20development%20of%20this%20new%20associate%20degree%20major%20in%20Entrepreneurship.%20In%20addition%2C%20HCC%20is%20working%20with%2012%20other%20North%20Carolina%20community%20colleges%20interested%20in%20implementing%20the%20Entrepreneurship%20program%20for%20their%20communities.%20HCC%26rsquo%3Bs%20vision%20is%20to%20create%20an%20entrepreneurship%20network%20across%20North%20Carolina.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EAccording%20to%20David%20Forester%2C%20HCC%20Chair%20of%20the%20Department%20of%20Business%20and%20Entrepreneurship%2C%20%26ldquo%3BThe%20loss%20of%20manufacturing%20jobs%20and%20the%20relocation%20of%20people%20to%20Haywood%20County%20have%20increased%20the%20number%20of%20people%20who%20are%20self-employed.%20People%20no%20longer%20believe%20they%20can%20remain%20employed%20while%20working%20for%20one%20business%20and%20eventually%20retire%20from%20that%20business%20after%2030%20to%2040%20years%20of%20work.%20Therefore%2C%20they%20want%20to%20start%20their%20own%20businesses.%20These%20trends%20have%20led%20to%20the%20need%20for%20an%20Entrepreneurship%20degree%20program%20for%20individuals%20who%20want%20to%20take%20control%20of%20their%20own%20career.%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20majority%20of%20the%20jobs%20that%20are%20being%20created%20in%20Western%20North%20Carolina%20and%20the%20country%20as%20a%20whole%20are%20being%20created%20by%20entrepreneurs%20starting%20up%20businesses%20on%20their%20own.%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%26ldquo%3BSmall%20business%20owners%20play%20a%20key%20role%20in%20the%20economic%20welfare%20of%20our%20region%2C%26rdquo%3B%20said%20Dr.%20Rose%20Johnson%2C%20HCC%20President.%20%26ldquo%3BThe%20development%20of%20the%20new%20associate%20degree%20in%20entrepreneurship%20at%20HCC%20recognizes%20this%20role%20and%20encourages%20business%20development.%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20college%20has%20many%20avenues%20of%20support%20already%20in%20place%20for%20budding%20entrepreneurs.%20These%20initiatives%20will%20compliment%20the%20new%20associate%20degree%20program.%20Two%20HCC%20employees%2C%20Sharron%20Donnahoe%20and%20Laura%20Leatherwood%2C%20are%20part%20of%20the%20Certified%20Entrepreneurial%20Community%20(CEC)%20Leadership%20Team.%20The%20CEC%20is%20committed%20to%20building%20and%20supporting%20entrepreneurship%20programs%20for%20Haywood%20%20County.%20Through%20the%20CEC%2C%20sixteen%20Western%20North%20Carolina%20communities%20will%20collaborate%20resources%20to%20nurture%20entrepreneurs.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EHCC%20recently%20completed%20Entrepreneurship%20Video%20Modules%20that%20are%20used%20by%20students%20as%20Internet%20feeds%20and%2For%20as%20a%20DVD%20format%20to%20learn%20how%20actual%20business%20owners%20practice%20principles%20of%20entrepreneurship.%20Sixteen%20local%20business%20owners%20were%20involved%20in%20this%20project%20and%20they%20discussed%20topics%20such%20as%3A%20cash%20flow%20issues%3B%20pitfalls%20and%20remedies%20in%20business%20ownership%3B%20customer%20service%20and%20managing%20employees%3B%20and%20marketing%20and%20pricing.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20HCC%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22%2Fsmall_business_center%22%3ESmall%20Business%20Center%3C%2Fa%3E%20provides%20one-on-one%20free%20confidential%20counseling%20and%20guides%20clients%20through%20writing%20a%20business%20plan.%20In%20addition%2C%20future%20entrepreneurs%20can%20gain%20assistance%20from%20curriculum%20and%20continuing%20education%20classes.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EAccording%20to%20Sharron%20Donnahoe%2C%20Director%20of%20HCC%26rsquo%3Bs%20Small%20Business%20Center%20(SBC)%2C%20many%20communities%20and%20economic%20developers%20are%20just%20now%20realizing%20the%20power%20of%20creating%20jobs%20through%20entrepreneurship.%20%26ldquo%3BThe%20timing%20is%20right%20for%20this%20curriculum%20at%20HCC%2C%26rdquo%3B%20she%20explains.%20%26ldquo%3BMany%20things%20are%20coming%20together%20at%20the%20same%20time%26hellip%3B%20the%20County%26rsquo%3Bs%20quest%20to%20become%20a%20Certified%20Entrepreneurial%20Community%2C%20the%20SBC%20moving%20to%20main%20campus%2C%20dedicated%20library%20space%20for%20small%20business%20research%2C%20and%20continued%20growth%20in%20the%20REAL%20instruction%26hellip%3B%20all%20of%20these%20make%20HCC%20uniquely%20positioned%20to%20move%20ahead%20with%20the%20Entrepreneurship%20curriculum.%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EServing%20the%20seven%20westernmost%20counties%20in%20the%20state%2C%20classes%20will%20be%20available%20online%20as%20well%20as%20in%20the%20classroom.%3Cspan%3E%20Students%20may%20pursue%20an%20AAS%2C%20diploma%2C%20or%20certificate.%3C%2Fspan%3E%20Students%20interested%20in%20enrolling%20at%20HCC%20can%20contact%20David%20Forester%20at%20828-627-4594%20or%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22mailto%3Adforester%40haywood.edu%22%3Edforester%40haywood.edu%3C%2Fa%3E.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cimg%20width%3D%22350%22%20height%3D%22219%22%20src%3D%22%2FUserFiles%2Fimage%2Fheadlines%2FeWCU_HCC%2520copy.jpg%22%20alt%3D%22%22%20class%3D%22float%3Aleft%22%20%2F%3E%20Pictured%20left%20to%20right%20are%20HCC%20President%20Dr.%20Rose%20Johnson%2C%20WCU%20Chancellor%20John%20W.%20Bardo%2C%20and%20HCC%20Vice%20President%20of%20Academics%20and%20Workforce%20Development%20Bill%20Rhodarmer%20as%20they%20sign%20an%20articulation%20agreement%20between%20the%20two%20schools.%20The%20agreement%20is%20for%20a%202%2B2%20degree%20program%20in%20Entrepreneurship%20where%20a%20student%20can%20transfer%20after%20completion%20of%20the%20associate%20program%20at%20HCC%20to%20WCU%20and%20receive%20two%20years%20of%20credit%20toward%20a%20bachelor%26rsquo%3Bs%20degree%20in%20Entrepreneurship.%3C%2Fp%3E 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Last updated: Monday, May 12, 2008 at 03:36 PM Posted: Monday, May 12, 2008 at 02:32 PM
Haywood Community College and Western Carolina University (WCU) recently signed an articulation agreement to create a 2+2 degree program in Entrepreneurship. HCC is the first community college in the state to offer an Associate in Applied Science degree in Entrepreneurship and the first to enter into an articulation agreement for Entrepreneurship with WCU.
After graduation in the Associate in Applied Science program in Entrepreneurship, HCC students will directly transfer to WCU and receive two years of credit toward a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship through the articulation agreement.
This agreement between WCU and HCC will provide students the ability to enter WCU as a junior. It will also provide incentives for students to enroll at HCC for their post-secondary education due to the low tuition costs and ease of transferability of credits. The articulation agreement is effective beginning in the fall of 2008.
"This partnership will make the critical study of entrepreneurship more accessible to students who are the future business leaders and innovators of our region," said WCU Chancellor John W. Bardo. "At a time when so many traditional manufacturing jobs have moved overseas, small business and entrepreneurship offer hope for our continued economic competitiveness across this state."
HCC has long been a leader in helping people start businesses. Since 1991, the college has integrated Real Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL) education into degree programs. The college is now leading the way in the North Carolina Community College System with the development of this new associate degree major in Entrepreneurship. In addition, HCC is working with 12 other North Carolina community colleges interested in implementing the Entrepreneurship program for their communities. HCC’s vision is to create an entrepreneurship network across North Carolina.
According to David Forester, HCC Chair of the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship, “The loss of manufacturing jobs and the relocation of people to Haywood County have increased the number of people who are self-employed. People no longer believe they can remain employed while working for one business and eventually retire from that business after 30 to 40 years of work. Therefore, they want to start their own businesses. These trends have led to the need for an Entrepreneurship degree program for individuals who want to take control of their own career.”
The majority of the jobs that are being created in Western North Carolina and the country as a whole are being created by entrepreneurs starting up businesses on their own.
“Small business owners play a key role in the economic welfare of our region,” said Dr. Rose Johnson, HCC President. “The development of the new associate degree in entrepreneurship at HCC recognizes this role and encourages business development.”
The college has many avenues of support already in place for budding entrepreneurs. These initiatives will compliment the new associate degree program. Two HCC employees, Sharron Donnahoe and Laura Leatherwood, are part of the Certified Entrepreneurial Community (CEC) Leadership Team. The CEC is committed to building and supporting entrepreneurship programs for Haywood County. Through the CEC, sixteen Western North Carolina communities will collaborate resources to nurture entrepreneurs.
HCC recently completed Entrepreneurship Video Modules that are used by students as Internet feeds and/or as a DVD format to learn how actual business owners practice principles of entrepreneurship. Sixteen local business owners were involved in this project and they discussed topics such as: cash flow issues; pitfalls and remedies in business ownership; customer service and managing employees; and marketing and pricing.
The HCC Small Business Center provides one-on-one free confidential counseling and guides clients through writing a business plan. In addition, future entrepreneurs can gain assistance from curriculum and continuing education classes.
According to Sharron Donnahoe, Director of HCC’s Small Business Center (SBC), many communities and economic developers are just now realizing the power of creating jobs through entrepreneurship. “The timing is right for this curriculum at HCC,” she explains. “Many things are coming together at the same time… the County’s quest to become a Certified Entrepreneurial Community, the SBC moving to main campus, dedicated library space for small business research, and continued growth in the REAL instruction… all of these make HCC uniquely positioned to move ahead with the Entrepreneurship curriculum.”
Serving the seven westernmost counties in the state, classes will be available online as well as in the classroom. Students may pursue an AAS, diploma, or certificate. Students interested in enrolling at HCC can contact David Forester at 828-627-4594 or dforester@haywood.edu.
Pictured left to right are HCC President Dr. Rose Johnson, WCU Chancellor John W. Bardo, and HCC Vice President of Academics and Workforce Development Bill Rhodarmer as they sign an articulation agreement between the two schools. The agreement is for a 2+2 degree program in Entrepreneurship where a student can transfer after completion of the associate program at HCC to WCU and receive two years of credit toward a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship.