Third Annual HBCU Entrepreneurship Conference on Tap at Bowie State

 

MEDIA CONTACT: David Thompson, dlthompson@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-4311

(BOWIE, Md.) – “The Exponential Power of Collaboration” is the theme of the 3^rd Annual HBCU + Entrepreneurship Hybrid Conference hosted by Bowie State University’s (BSU) Entrepreneurship Innovation Center (EIC) on Wednesday, September 27, from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. in conjunction with the Annual National HBCU Week Conference to punctuate the strong connection with HBCU educators, partners and entrepreneurs.

Discussions on racial equity and entrepreneurship, organizational leadership and strategies on how to better connect small businesses with potential investors will be addressed at the day-long event. Conference participants will have the opportunity to connect with peers to share research and help further entrepreneurship education across HBCUs and other institutions of higher learning.

“Our goal is to provide highly informative sessions that will help students better understand the various nuances that are associated with successfully starting and operating a business,” said Johnetta Hardy, executive director of BSU’s EIC. “The featured presenters have extensive backgrounds in entrepreneurship as the foundation for offering innovative ideas on how to optimize collaborative efforts and creative ways to secure funding.”

Kickstarter’s CEO, 34 year-old Everette Taylor, will provide the conference’s keynote remarks. Kickstarter is the world’s premier crowdfunding platform for creative projects. Under Taylor’s leadership, the organization was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential companies for trailblazing the future of work and for the company’s global impact in the creator economy.

Other speakers include Luke Lawal, author, CEO and founder of HBCU Buzz who will conduct a fireside chat with Eunique Jones Gibson, founder of Brand Builder for Good and Happy Hues, a baby and toddler care company. They will discuss the importance of pooling resources to achieve a common goal and working to strengthen unity within the HBCU community. Lawal and Jones Gibson are both Bowie State graduates.

“Last year over 1,000 individuals representing 165 colleges and universities from the U.S. and overseas participated in the conference,” said Hardy. “We believe we’ll surpass last year’s numbers based on early registration and the participation of students attending the Annual National HBCU Week Conference.

Registration is now open and free for all attendees.

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About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.