Bringing Work Home
Entrepreneurship Living-Learning Community Launching At Bowie State University Is The Start Of New Economic Hub
By Raoul Dennis // @suitemagazine
As she sat with her family at The President’s Tent watching the Bowie Bulldogs thrash Chowan University on their way to a 64 -17 win, Dr. Aminta Breaux had reason to applaud more than the number of touchdowns the team pressed over the goal line.
The game is a neat bow at the top of a homecoming week celebration cake that few university presidents get to enjoy – especially in only the second year in office.
The kick-off to BSU’s power week was the Oct. 8 annual Bulldog Golf Classic, aimed at raising funds for the university’s athletic programs. But arguably the most influential moment was the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Entrepreneurship Living Learning Center Oct. 10.
The 500+ bed center is scheduled for construction starting in February 2020. It will be completed in July 2021.
The $42 million project is one of the first major undertakings of President Breaux’ young second year administration. The center is substantially funded with tax-exempt bonds through the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO).
“This is about a new gateway project to be on the edge of our campus to open up Bowie State University to the larger community while providing a wonderful new learning facility that bridges learning from the classroom and the residence hall and into the entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Breaux said of the bold initiative. “Many of our students are coming in wanting to start a new business or thinking about a new product and we want them to graduate from Bowie State University with an entrepreneurial mindset.”
The facility has been supported by a cast of state and local leaders. VIPs who joined the ceremony included Robert Brennan, executive director, Maryland Economic Development Commission (MEDCO), Lisa Smith, executive director, Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC), Tom Sadowski, vice chancellor for economic development, University System of Maryland (USM), Maryland Senator Douglas J.J. Peters, District 23 (Prince George’s County), Ray Gilly, Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Administrative Office, Johnetta Hardy, executive director of Entrepreneurship Academy and Bob Shepko, division president, Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions.
Breaux says the coalition of business, education and civic leadership brought together is a key element of the Racing To Excellence theme she has employed at the university since the start of her tenure.
“You build a good team, allow them to see what’s possible and share your vision,” Breaux says of her approach to leadership on the campus and with leaders across the state.
The center will sit on the outer reaches of the campus (near Route 197) in order to give students and community easier access and to provide a noticeable, visual attraction for business education and development. It’s part of an overall plan to economically stimulate the area and take advantage of the university’s proximity to the MARC train. A hopeful ripple effect includes the growth of more retail shops as well.
“This is the beginning of opening up the campus further.,” Breaux says. “We want to create an innovation hub – a space where we can bring business and industry leaders here to partner with our faculty to ensure that our curriculum stays current. It will allow us to bring people in off the MARC train (which runs on the BSU campus). It’s a great opportunity to bring expert leaders here from government and industry to partner with faculty, to provide mentoring opportunities for our students. [Then] we are sending people out into the workplace and community but we are also bringing people back into the campus to create that business ecosystem.”
Indeed, students are interested in business startups, entrepreneurship and invention. New technologies continue to open doors for young professionals to launch businesses at earlier ages.
A Clean Start (l-r): Lisa Smith, executive director, Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC), Tom Sadowski, vice chancellor for economic development, University System of Maryland (USM), Robert Brennan, executive director, Maryland Economic Development Commission (MEDCO), , Maryland Senator Douglas J.J. Peters, District 23 (Prince George’s County), - Aminta H. Breaux, president of Bowie State University, Ray Gilly, Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Administrative Office, Johnetta Hardy, executive director of Entrepreneurship Academy and Bob Shepko, division president, Balfour Beatty Campus. Solutions. PHOTO: COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY
“This opportunity is important because ideas can come from any age group and from any person so it’s important to open the opportunity to all students regardless of age or major,” says James Harris, a graduate student at the university.
BSU Senior Kelvin Iloanya is already on track for a career as a business owner. Iloanya is a senior who is a business administration major concentrating in marketing.
“This is great,” he says of the new center. Iloanya is also president of the CEO Club at BSU and he’s currently doing graphic design work for anyone who needs branding. “It will be housing students and bringing them closer with onsite mentors and networking.”
Jessica Peters is a senior business marketing major and president of the Entrepreneurship Academy. The entrepreneurial spirit has been with her since childhood. Now, she also helps others to fulfill their dream.
“It’s an honor to help young entrepreneurs here… to inspire them and watch them grow,” she says of her work with the over 70-member group. Peters says she’s always wanted her own business and is launching a marketing firm of her own now, called Special Touch Marketing that will focus on social media and digital marketing.
Keneth Clark II seems cut from the same cloth. Since grade school, Clark has been driven to build his own business.
“This is important because entrepreneurship is a part of life. It’s an innovative and new way to get things done,” says the senior Broadcast Journalism major in his excitement for what the new building will bring. “We meet a need in the supply and demand aspect of business.”
