Academics

College celebrates Global Entrepreneurship Week with events

As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week Penn State 2016, Penn State Berks celebrates the vision of building relationships between members of the college and the local entrepreneurial communities with a variety of events on campus the week of Nov. 13–19. The campus has several lectures planned for aspiring student entrepreneurs and one event is open to the public.

Monday, Nov. 14, 8 a.m., room 2, Luerssen Building
Sustainable Shale Gas Development–Lessons from North America and around the Globe
Thomas Murphy, director of Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research (MCOR), Penn State Cooperative Extension, will present via Pictel to students enrolled in the college’s Introduction to Biostatistics course. MCOR is Penn State's education and research initiative on unconventional gas plays. It serves state agencies, elected and appointed officials, communities, landowners, industry, environmental groups and other stakeholders. MCOR is committed to expanding research capabilities on technical aspects of developing this resource and to providing science-based programming while protecting the state’s water resources, forests and transportation infrastructure.

Monday, Nov. 14, 12:15–1:15 p.m., room 111, Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building
Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) Center Open House

The campus community is invited to an open house, featuring information about the Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) Center, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI) minor, the Entrepreneurship Student Club, and 3D printing. Light refreshments will be served. The CEED Center has sponsored Entrepreneurship Speaker Series panel discussions, composed of both student entrepreneurs and members of the local business community. The Center has also facilitated collaborative initiatives between students, faculty, business and industry leaders, and members of organizations from around the world. This event will be hosted by Sadan Kulturel-Konak, Coordinator of the CEED Center and Professor of Management Information Systems at Penn State Berks.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 8 a.m., Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room
The Benefits of Global Entrepreneurship to Berks County

Travis Getz, Vice President of Operations at Reading Bakery Systems, and Rob Wolfe,
Founder of Launch DM, will be guest speakers. Getz earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Penn State. He has worked for Reading Bakery Systems, one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of baking and process systems, for the past 15 years. Wolfe is Founder of Launch DM, an international creative digital marketing studio. The program will be hosted by Janelle Larson, associate professor of agricultural economics and division head for engineering, business and computing at Penn State Berks. Larson will discuss the $50,000 seed grant that Penn State Berks, in partnership with Penn State Health St. Joseph, recently received as part of the Invent Penn State initiative. This presentation is free and open to the general public.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 12:05 p.m., room 245, Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building
How to Fight Through Early Startup Struggles

Tim Hillert, CEO and Founder of BenXChange, will discuss the struggles that new businesses face with Penn State Berks students enrolled in the Entrepreneurial Mindset course. Hillert founded BeneXchange in 2013. The software company provides a user-friendly, fully automated interface that allows its subscribers to search for a variety of insurance options; 401k and other retirement plans; and various other human resource products and services. Hillert earned a bachelor of science in business from Penn State Berks and a master of business administration from the Penn State Smeal College of Business. 

Thursday, Nov. 17, 3:05 p.m., room 109, Franco Building
How to Successfully Manage Your Early Stage Startup Meetings

Hillert will present to Penn State Berks students enrolled in Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 6 p.m., room 245, Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building
Global Diversity in an Open World Market

Wilfred Muskems, President and CEO of Stevens & Lee/Griffin International LLC, will present to students enrolled in International Management. Stevens & Lee/Griffin International LLC helps middle-market clients and foreign companies who wish to invest in the region. Muskems has served as Deputy Secretary for the Office of International Business Development for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). While at DCED, he implemented the World Trade PA initiative, which expanded Pennsylvania’s global presence through new and innovative programs.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 6 p.m., room 246, Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building
Doing Business in the International Services Industry

Mark Cerimele, Senior International Product Manager at The Vanguard Group, will present to students enrolled in International Business Operations. Cerimele earned both a bachelor of science in business and a master of business administration from Penn State and he has worked for The Vanguard Group, one of the world's largest investment management companies, for the last twenty years. He is also an adjunct professor of Business Administration for Immaculata University and member of the Penn State Berks Business Advisory Board.

Penn State Berks is committed to entrepreneurship and economic development. The Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) Center was established in the fall of 2011 as part of the Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building. The CEED Center is an extension of the college’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor. This interdisciplinary 18-credit minor is designed to foster an entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and leadership in students.

For more information on these projects or the CEED Center, contact Sadan Kulturel-Konak at 610-396-6137 or via email at sadan@psu.edu

Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated October 20, 2016

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