BGSU celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit during E-Week

Latch Class of 2017 (BGSU photo)

From BGSU OFFICE OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Bowling Green State University will celebrate and encourage entrepreneurial spirit through a variety of lunch and learn sessions, panel discussions and presentations during Entrepreneurship Week, April 3-7.

The week kicks off April 3 with the first of three lunch and learn sessions: “From Student Worker to Owner” with Julie Harbal. Adam Goldberg will present the second lunch and learn April 4: “From Artist to Entrepreneur.” And Elsa Vogel will complete the series April 5 with “Pieces of Me – Building a Brand from Scratch.”

This year’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence is Rick Kappel, a 1969 BGSU alumnus. Kappel, president and CEO (retired) of Advanced Computer Systems and 2015 Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Hall of Fame honoree, will be available to meet with students, faculty, staff and community members April 4 and 5. Appointments are required.

Also on April 5 is one of EWeek’s signature events: Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Hall of Fame. This invitation-only event recognizes innovative BGSU alumni who have achieved distinction founding, leading or building a new business. This year’s honorees are alumni Maribeth S. Rahe, Peggy Schmeltz and David Stickler. This is the Hall of Fame’s 10th year.

In addition to The Hatch (information to come), April 6 will include a Women in Leadership presentation with Rebecca Li, CEO and lifestyle curator at Rebecca Total Wellbeing.

The week concludes April 7 with the Sebo Series in Entrepreneurship – Entrepreneurial Success: Pursuing Your Passion. Named in honor of BGSU alumnus J. Robert Sebo, this sold-out lecture series features dynamic speakers to spark the entrepreneurial spirit among students and community members.

Sir Ken Robinson, author, TED Talk presenter and internationally acclaimed expert on creativity and innovation, will serve as keynote speaker for this signature event. Videos of his talks to the TED Conference are among the most viewed in the history of the organization and have been seen by an estimated 300 million people in more than 150 countries.

Featured presenters include alumni D.C. Crenshaw, CEO of Fete Business Group; Gordon Hamm, partner and CEO of Garage Management Corporation; and Rahe, president and CEO of Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc.

Most EWeek events are free and open to the public, space permitting, but registration is required: bgsu.edu/eweek.

Bloomberg Businessweek ranks BGSU’s entrepreneurship program in the top 3 percent of universities in the United States. The University’s College of Business Administration offers an entrepreneurial minor open to both business and non-business students, which focuses on preparing students to start businesses that creatively solve the challenges of life. More than 650 students enroll in this minor each year.