09-24-04

Opening of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Learning Community Sept. 29

AMES, Iowa -- The formal opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Iowa State University's new Entrepreneurship and Innovation Learning Community will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29, in the learning community's home on the fifth floor of Buchanan Residence Hall, Ash Avenue and Lincoln Way. The event is free and open to the public.

Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy, Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Hill, and Dean of the College of Business Labh Hira will speak at 6 p.m. Tours of the facility will follow the presentations.

Thirty Iowa State students, ranging from freshman to graduate students, make up the first class of the learning community. Students enrolled in the learning community span a wide range of majors, including architecture, philosophy, and management information systems and performing arts. The learning community is one of the first "residents" of the recently renovated Buchanan Hall.

Judi Eyles, programs and marketing director for the ISU's Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and an advisor to the learning community, said students in the program have unique resources available to them for business development.

"Residents in the learning community will be able to take entrepreneurship courses and participate in a variety of learning and mentoring experiences to help them understand entrepreneurship and launch their own businesses," Eyles said. "In fact, the students just met last week with a group of Ames business people excited about partnering with students in developing business plans and creating businesses."

Parking for the event is available in the Memorial Union parking ramp. Due to construction, please enter Buchanan Hall from the southwest side of the building.

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