MCC Joins National Assocation for Community College Entrepreneurship (NAACE)

Manchester, CT (February 20, 2013) – Manchester Community College has joined the National Association for Community College entrepreneurship (NAACE), the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges. Now in its 10th year, NACCE is a major force in entrepreneurship education, spearheading a national movement among community colleges to develop a new breed of educators and administrators dedicated to helping underserved entrepreneurs start, run and grow thriving companies.

“We are pleased to welcome Manchester Community College to NAACE,” said Heather Van Sickle, NACCE executive director. “NACCE thrives because of the willingness of its members to share information about how to build strong entrepreneurships programs. We know that Manchester Community College will benefit from being part of our community as will the entrepreneurs and small business owners if serves.”

NACCE includes nearly 300 colleges in the U.S. and abroad, representing over 1,400 entrepreneurship education professionals. Through these educators, approximately 465,000 students are exposed to the possibility of putting their newly acquired skills and knowledge to work in their own business, if not immediately then at some point in the future. In addition, countless small business owners and entrepreneurs benefit from education, mentoring and other important services provided by NAACE members.

NAACE connects community college administrators and faculty with knowledge and successful practices regarding entrepreneurial thinking, entrepreneurship education, and student business incubation. NACCE holds an annual conference and symposium, publish a quarterly journal, hosts monthly webinars and podcasts and a dynamic list serv, develops Web resources such as shared entrepreneurship curricula and syllabi for faculty, and creates guides in beginning and sustaining entrepreneurship and student business incubation program as well as tips for grant proposal specific to entrepreneurial endeavors at community colleges. For more information visit NACCE.

The MCC Entrepreneurship Center is housed at MCC on Main and works with entrepreneurship students. The center partners with local organizations to offer workshops and panels on topics such as: doing business with the government; exporting and selling products globally; developing marketing and capability statements; and providing small business support.

The Manchester Community College Arts and Education Center – MCC on Main – located at 903 Main Street in downtown Manchester is a partnership with the Town of Manchester to build a culturally vibrant and economically strong town center. It offers an art and video gallery, Entrepreneurship Center and café. Seminar and conference rooms for classes and event-related programming are available. One of the main focal points is the art gallery, which is named for Adolf and Virginia Dehn. MCC on Main is entirely funded through philanthropy.

Students of any age who possess the desire to pursue higher education are welcome at Manchester Community College. MCC is proud of its academic excellence, new facilities, flexible schedules, small classes, low tuition and faculty with both academic and “real world” credentials. The College offers over 60 programs, transfer options, financial aid and scholarships, as well as access to baccalaureate degrees through guaranteed admissions programs with several universities. MCC is situated on a park-like campus and is easily accessible from I-84.

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