Penn State, Temple University Recognized For Leadership In Entrepreneurship Education

PHILADELPHIA and UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (October 18, 2006) – The two largest universities in Pennsylvania, Penn State and Temple University, have been recognized by the National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (NCEC) with the organization's national Award for Exceptional Activities in Entrepreneurship Across Disciplines.

The universities received these prestigious awards at the 2006 NCEC annual conference held in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region in mid-October.

Education in entrepreneurship is increasingly being recognized as one of the most important new educational initiatives in major universities. In response, both Penn State and Temple University have created unique entrepreneurial programs that involve students from many different backgrounds and disciplines in not only learning, but also in experiencing the skills required to be successful entrepreneurs.

"I am continually invigorated by observing students become passionate about their own opportunities to create companies whether they are studying science, engineering, architecture, Spanish, or business," said Anthony Warren, director of the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Penn State's Smeal College of Business. "That passion is a promising sign for the economic future of the Commonwealth."

According to Chris Pavlides, executive director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute at Temple University's Fox School of Business, "In our program, we recognize that the future of the U.S. economy depends on our students learning the key entrepreneurial skills of creativity, self-confidence, resourcefulness, and leadership, as well as learning how to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing economy and growing global competition."

Smeal's Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship is dedicated to furthering the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation through education, research, and outreach to business. Center researchers work with Smeal students to provide counsel to a number of companies in Pennsylvania and around the country. The Farrell Center also collaborates with economic development organizations to identify new ways to stimulate economic growth.

Last year, the NCEC presented the Farrell Center with its NASDAQ Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence Award based largely on the unique application of Web-based materials to bring entrepreneurship skills to large numbers of students both within the University and in the state's K-12 schools. For more on the Farrell Center, visit www.smeal.psu.edu/fcfe.

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI) at Temple University's Fox School of Business and Management proactively promotes entrepreneurial spirit throughout all 17 schools and colleges of Temple University. Entrepreneurship is a key Fox School tenet and strength. Specific emphases of The Fox School entrepreneurship program include global entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, life sciences and technology, and women’s entrepreneurship.  Entrepreneurship is also integral to the school’s curriculum.  For example, all MBA students participate in the Enterprise Management consulting Practicum course, in which they solve real business problems for real companies.  In its October 2006 issue, Entrepreneur magazine and Princeton Review ranked Temple University’s entrepreneurship program as the nation’s fourth-best program for undergraduate and seventh-best for graduate students.

With close to 150 universities as members, the National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers is the vehicle through which the top established entrepreneurship centers, as well as new emerging centers, can work together to share information, develop special projects, and assist each other in advancing and improving their centers' impact. The consortium is the focal point for entrepreneurship centers across the United States and the world to continue the advancement of entrepreneurial excellence.