Kent State Presents Global Entrepreneurship Week

Kent State University will mark Global Entrepreneurship Week with a series of events Nov. 13 – 15 for students, alumni and the community.

Each November, Global Entrepreneurship Week connects young people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week is a recognition and celebration of entrepreneurial activities worldwide,” said Julie Messing, executive director of entrepreneurship initiatives at Kent State.
“We saw this as the perfect opportunity for Kent State’s Blackstone LaunchPad to plan events and programming, as our services are available to all majors at Kent State. This also gives us the opportunity to highlight entrepreneurial activities that are already happening across the university.”

Kent State’s Blackstone LaunchPad program emphasizes entrepreneurship as a viable career path and gives Kent State students, faculty and alumni the skills, knowledge and guidance they need to start new companies. The program, which accommodates all students regardless of major and involves local entrepreneurs as mentors, started offering services to students in late May and celebrated its official grand opening on Sept. 28.

Schedule of Events for Global Entrepreneurship Week at Kent State
All events are free and open to public unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, Nov. 13

Keynote Address: “Global Entrepreneurship - Starting Locally/Expanding Globally”
6:30 p.m., Kent Student Center Kiva
Richard Brandt, director of the Iacocca Institute at Lehigh University

Reception
8 p.m., Room 306, Kent Student Center
Richard Brandt, as well as representatives from student businesses and other exhibitors will be on hand for discussion and questions. Refreshments provided.

Wednesday, Nov. 14

“Developing a Fashion-able Product”
2 - 3 p.m. Room 122, Rockwell Hall
Kevin Wolfgang, Kent State’s TechStyleLAB
A discussion of developing, manufacturing and taking to market a fashion-related garment or accessory. An original design by Linda Ohrn-McDaniel, associate professor of fashion design at The Fashion School at Kent State, will be used as a case study. Co-sponsored by The Fashion School.

“Mobile, Social and Other Emerging Channels: Designing Solutions to Meet the New Business Reality”
5:30 - 6:30 p.m., Room 313, Kent Student Center
Co-sponsored by Kent State’s School of Digital Sciences and Brian Stein, Pervasive Path Consulting, LLC.

Finding Ideas & Following Your Passion
6 - 7 p.m., Room 129, Prentice Hall
Kate Harmon, Kent State’s Blackstone LaunchPad program manager
Co-sponsored by Kent State College of Business Administration Learning Communities.
**Open to Kent State Learning Community Members only**

Thursday, Nov. 15

International Entrepreneurship in Northeast Ohio Panel
12 - 1 p.m., Room 315, Kent Student Center
A panel discussion of legal implications, public relations and other factors that affect international students, immigration and business.

Career Services Networking Prep
5 - 5:30 p.m., Career Services Center, located at 261 Schwartz Center
Students are invited to stop in for a networking prep session
Co-sponsored by Kent State’s Career Services Center.

Golden Flashes: Past and Present Entrepreneurs
6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Room 306, Kent Student Center
Bootstrapping, marketing, pitching. Students have the opportunity to speed network with Kent State alumni and entrepreneurs about the how-to’s of start-up businesses. Refreshments provided. Co-Sponsored by the Kent State University Alumni Association.
**Open to Kent State students and alumni only**

For more information about Global Entrepreneurship Week, visit www.gewusa.org.

More information about Kent State’s Blackstone LaunchPad is available at www.kent.edu/blackstonelaunchpad.

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Media Contacts:
Zachary Mikrut, zmikrut@kent.edu, 330-672-6782
Bob Burford, rburford@kent.edu, 330-672-8516