06-30-04

Iowa State initiates entrepreneurship grant awards

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University will offer seven new entrepreneurship courses this fall to expand opportunities for students who want to be their own boss.

The new courses are funded by a $30,000 grant from the Kaufmann Foundation, Kansas City, Mo., and managed by the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship.

"This initial round of grants will launch a university-wide effort to improve entrepreneurship education at Iowa State," said Steve Carter, director of the Pappajohn Center. "These college-specific courses will complement the core entrepreneurship courses offered in the College of Business."

The courses will be offered through the colleges of Agriculture, Business, Design, Engineering, and Family and Consumer Sciences. Topics will range from teaching non-business students how to read and interpret financial statements and cash flow information to creating a "sub incubator" for design students who want to market their original computer games.

"These first grants will support new or enhanced courses that focus on entrepreneurship education in the context of students' fields of study," Carter said. "Potential business ideas could range from safety innovation in farm management to creating a business plan for a new clothing line."

For more information, contact Judi Eyles, assistant director of the Pappajohn Center, at (515) 296-6532.

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