ETSU will launch its Startup Training Resources Inspiring Veteran Entrepreneurship program in February of 2020. The program will run for eight weeks and is open to all veterans, Reserve and National Guard members and their spouses free of charge.
ETSU will become the second institution in the country to host the program through a partnership with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families. It will be led by faculty members in the College of Business and Technology. The university is reaching out to local people within the Appalachian region.
“We’re hoping to get 15-20 students enrolled by the end of the year,” said William Heise, professor of management and marketing and director of the MBA program at ETSU.
Heise said students enrolled in STRIVE can expect to develop a business program, meet subject matter experts and hear from local business owners.
“We’re going to bring in people who know about banking, finance and marketing, so students will have the opportunity to interact with experts in their fields,” said Heise. “Starting a business is a lot of work, so making sure people have the right expectations going into it is important.”
Heise hopes STRIVE will have a regional impact as students who go through the program will be able to start up businesses in the local area.
Graduates will be considered ETSU alumni, and they will still have access to online resources up to a year after graduating.
“We want to bring them into the ETSU family,” said Heise.
Heise said the program has garnered support from everyone it has been shared with, including ETSU president Brian Nolan. If it is successful, he hopes ETSU can have more than one STRIVE course a year and expand to other groups such as women and minorities.
