Free entrepreneurship courses offered at GCC

Have an idea for a new product or better service? Genesee Community College is seeking individuals with big dreams, innovative ideas and a desire to be their own boss to take part in a new entrepreneurship scholarship program.

As part of the collaborative WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) grant, Genesee Community College will be reimbursing participants for the cost of tuition and books for two college entrepreneurship courses. These scholarship grants are valued at approximately $500 per semester and will be allotted over the next two years for students attending two targeted entrepreneurship classes.

Eligible Emerging Entrepreneurs program courses at Genesee Community College are:  Business 111 / Exploring Business Opportunities, and Business 225 / Entrepreneurship.

The latter is offered this fall and is a fundmental course about the critical process of developing a bona fide business plan. Topics include concept development, management, legal issues, regulation, marketing research and penetration, pricing, and financial perspectives.

At the completion of this program, participants will have a business plan to take to a lender. (All BUS225 courses are 16-weeks long.)

• Albion Campus, Wednesdays starting Aug. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Arcade Campus, Fridays starting Aug. 28 from 12:30 to 3:25 p.m.
• Batavia Campus, Wednesdays starting Aug. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Warsaw Campus, Mondays starting Aug. 24 from 2 to 4:50 p.m.

Another entrepreneurial based course, Business 111, will also be available at the Batavia Campus this fall. It will be held Thursdays starting Sept. 21 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. for 12 weeks.

Business 111 explores personal characteristics of an entrepreneur, investigates and identifies business opportunities, and presents business criteria prior to start-up as a basic foundation for success.

"We hope that this scholarship program raises awareness that entrepreneurship is a viable career option," said Barbara Shine, assistant professor of business and entrepreneurship. "With the current state of the economy, people have to turn to alternative job opportunities, like starting your own business, to deal with changing career plans."

There are a limited number of scholarship seats for this program. Applicants must be a resident of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, or Wyoming counties for the past six months, and a U.S. citizen, national, refugee alien or permanent resident alien.

Interested individuals should submit the scholarship application form and related materials as soon as possible. The application deadline is Aug. 20. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Scholarship awardees will be notified prior to the start of each course.

For more information or application forms, go to www.genesee.edu/wee <http://www.genesee.edu/wee>, or contact Barb Shine at (585) 343-0055 x6319 or bashine@genesee.edu.