Fostering entrepreneurship: Resources for aspiring entrepreneurs

Debra Barrett<smithde6@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Michigan State University provides a variety of resources for aspiring entrepreneurs.

While catching up on some Michigan State University alumni news recently, my eyes were opened to a wealth of resources available to future entrepreneurs that 4-H members, families and volunteers may wish to learn more about. With Global Entrepreneurship Week right around the corner (Nov. 16-22, 2015) and Michigan 4-H Youth Development continuing to grow in youth entrepreneurship projects, I thought this would be a good time to share some of these resources.

Libraries used to be a place where you would go to sort through stacks of books and periodicals for hours, but times have changed. MakerSpace is a fairly new concept. It is a place for creative minds to gather and share equipment, community and educational support; to help individuals design, practice and make prototypes of manufactured works. Schools, colleges, universities and libraries, as well as for-profit and non-profit organizations may be a site to host a MakerSpace. MSU Libraries has a MakerSpace called Make Central. For more information, contact MSU’s entrepreneurship librarian Terence O’Neill.

MSU also has an Institute for Entrepreneurship. It is associated with the Eli Broad College of Business to help advance and promote entrepreneurship. Through the Institute, there is also a student organization called the MSU Entrepreneurship Association.

Michigan State University Extension 4-H Youth Development staff are also available to advise and encourage young people that wish to explore the world of owning their own business. We often use two National 4-H curriculum resources, BE THE “e” and Build Your Future: Choices, Connections, Careers, to educate and encourage members and volunteers about entrepreneurship.

Think about how you could take your project and skills to the next level through 4-H. The opportunities are endless and fall is a good time to explore 4-H projects that you may want to learn more about and complete in the New Year! 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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