The Center for Entrepreneurship in the Craig School of Business at Missouri Western State University will hold their third annual Entrepreneurship Week March 19-23. Sponsored by Don Tolly American Family Insurance Agency and Sumner, Carty, Hardy & Schwichtenberg, PC, Entrepreneurship Week is a series of workshops and events for local business professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs, college and high school students, and those curious about the skills needed to run a small business.
Presenters include business professors from multiple disciplines, business owners and other professionals. Topics include writing a business plan, accounting, introductions to useful software and social media tools, and more. All of the sessions are open to the public and students. Walk-ins are welcome, but registration will help the speakers prepare materials and examples for the sessions.
The week will also feature a special edition of the Cup of Joe entrepreneur gathering, which will take place in the Fulkerson Center at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 21. Also on Wednesday, the MECA Challenge Kansas City Youth Competition will travel to St. Joseph and local high school students will have the opportunity to participate in an all-day event sponsored by the Innovation Stockyard. As part of this event, students are paired with a local business owner and get to practice career skills, network with peers and mentors, and engage in problem solving for real world startup businesses.
The final day of Entrepreneurship Week, Friday, March 23, features an opportunity for students to meet with Steven L. Craig, founder and CEO of Craig Realty Group and benefactor of the Craig School of Business, for a question-and-answer breakfast. The student gathering is at 10 a.m. in the Enright Community Room, Spratt 214. The capstone luncheon, featuring guest speaker Wayne Chatham, will be at noon in the Fulkerson Center. Chatham, a 1990 graduate of Missouri Western, has co-founded three successful companies and received the Missouri Western Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. The winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year and Emerging Entrepreneur awards will also be announced at the luncheon. Tickets for lunch are $15 and must be purchased in advance by Friday, March 16.
Other than the capstone lunch on Friday, all other events are free.
For more information or to register for any of the events, call the CFE office at 816-271-4283 or email aweeks@missouriwestern.edu. You can also visit the CFE website at csb-cfe.missouriwestern.edu/ for a complete schedule of events and to register.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.