PARTNERSHIP CONNECTS LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS WITH
OSU BUSINESS STUDENTS
OSU-Cascades Campus and Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) have partnered to to connect business students at Oregon State University's Cascade Campus with local entrepreneurs. The program, in its second year, will provide students with hands-on business experience and offer Central Oregon entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop well-defined business plans for their ventures.
Taught by adjunct instructor Pam Stevenson, BA460: New Venture Management, is a senior-level course in entrepreneurship in which students write business plans for start-up ventures. While Stevenson encourages students to examine their own passions and interests in selecting an opportunity to pursue, they may not feel ready yet to follow an entrepreneurial path. In such cases, rather than writing a theoretical business plan, students may gain more relevant experience by writing a plan for a real-world start-up.
Furthermore, many entrepreneurs possess the expertise and creativity needed to develop a new product or service but lack the skill or training to write a good business plan. In this program, students and local entrepreneurs are given an opportunity to be ¡§matched¡¨ to help both achieve their goals.
EDCO will be compiling a list of interested entrepreneurs which will be presented to the students at the beginning of the Spring Quarter (starting April 14, 2006). Criteria for interested businesses include:
- A start-up business less than 1 year old;
- Completion of a brief application form submitted to EDCO; and
- A signed agreement if the project is selected (the agreement will address sharing of information, confidentiality, and expectations of contributions by the parties involved).
If a business is selected, the students will contact the entrepreneur to arrange a meeting to define the project and outline expectations. While students will receive periodic access to the entrepreneur throughout the quarter to understand the business, the student will be wholly responsible for writing the plan. Written business plans and an oral presentation will be submitted for a grade at the conclusion of the quarter (approximately June 8, 2006). A copy of the plan will be provided to the entrepreneur and the entrepreneur will be invited to attend the final class presentation.
EDCO will also assemble a review panel from the local business community to attend the final presentation. This panel will select one winning plan for presentation at the final Central Oregon PubTalk of the season (June 8, 2006). Held on the second Thursday of each month at McMenamin's in downtown Bend, the popular Central Oregon PubTalks feature a keynote speaker, as well as presentations by early stage companies seeking capital, advice, and feedback on their business plans. Keynote speakers are business leaders from around the region and state who share innovative business concepts, best practices and "lessons learned.¡¨
Entrepreneurs interested in participating should fill out the application available at EDCO (20380 Halfway Road, Suite 3 in Bend) or by clicking here. Applications should be returned to EDCO no later than March 31st, 2006: Fax 541-388-6705 or email meg@edcoinfo.com. There will be no guarantee that a particular project will be selected. For questions regarding the details of the program, please contact Pam Stevenson at pamstevenson@bendcable.com.
Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) is a membership-based, private, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a strong and secure economic future for Central Oregon. Learn more about EDCO at www.edcoinfo.com.
