By Shana Ricks
I have always wanted to have my own business since I was a kid. To be able to provide for myself and my family is a goal I hope to one day fulfill. This dream has been my reason for obtaining an Entrepreneurship degree from UAPTC. This degree will provide me with the tools I need to become a successful business owner in the state of Arkansas.
I first heard about the new partnership (SEEC, or the Student Entrepreneur Education Collective) with UA-PTC and The Venture Center SEEC program one evening while watching KARK news. I immediately reached out to my academic advisor, April Hearne, for more information and learned that this partnership will allow the students enrolled in the UA-PTC Entrepreneurship program access to real life experiences and to gain additional knowledge and skills to make our businesses successful in the future.
The first Lunch and Learn that I attended at The Venture Center taught me valuable information about having investors in my future business, and I am looking forward to attending Venture Center offerings in the future while I’m building my business.
Interaction with The Venture Center is going to be very helpful as I continue my entrepreneurship coursework at UA-PTC. Having the opportunity to make real-world connections with VC staff and the entrepreneurs they support will allow me to convert what I learn in the classroom to action items for my business…with direct guidance from people who have successfully started businesses in the past.
A big part of being successful in business is the network of mentors you develop along the way. The SEEC partnership will allow me to have resources and advantages that I wouldn’t have ever been able to access. It is a difference maker for new businesses and first-time entrepreneurs like me.