Vance-Granville Community College’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center (EIC) is open for business.    Students and community members attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce recently to mark this momentous occasion.  The Nov. 9 event coincided with Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The EIC is located at VGCC’s South Campus in Creedmoor and serves all four campuses in the VGCC system.

The EIC supports VGCC’s mission of strengthening the state’s economy by helping students and clients living in rural areas achieve their entrepreneurial potential by exposing them to entrepreneurial thinking and entrepreneurial opportunities, according to a press release from VGCC.

By educating, inspiring and supporting a diverse community of learners to achieve professional and personal success, VGCC and the EIC help N.C. entrepreneurs succeed by offering them the training and learning opportunities that prepare them to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and ideas. 

 This effort also enhances VGCC’s Small Business Center offerings of Ice House, Kauffman FastTrack and NC REAL Entrepreneurship training, among others. VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais recently joined other community college presidents in signing the national Entrepreneurship Pledge.

“I think that the Center is a great opportunity for networking, gaining business skills, and preparing for the future in business,” said Tanya Weary, dean of business & industry solutions. “I am really excited for VGCC. This is the start of something that will grow and develop.  The opportunities this innovation environment will create are endless.”   

Serena Aycock, one of the members of the newly formed Vanguard Entrepreneurship Club, was on hand to take part in the ribbon cutting.  “I am absolutely inspired and honored to attend this great community college,” Aycock said. “I feel the energy of success in this room during this unforgettable ribbon-cutting event.”

The Center has had support from NC IDEA.  NC IDEA is an independent private, 501(c)(3) foundation whose vision is to help North Carolinians achieve their entrepreneurial ambition to start and grow high potential companies. NC IDEA fosters sustainable economic development with competitive grants and programs for entrepreneurs and funding to strengthen the North Carolina entrepreneurial ecosystem.  Thom Ruhe, President & CEO was present to support VGCC’s continued entrepreneurial efforts.   Also present were Dr. Rebecca Corbin, President & CEO of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship; Alyssa Martina, Director of Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship for Elon University; and Dr. Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld, Senior Associate Dean for Social Sciences and Global Programs, UNC Chapel Hill were present to support VGCC’s entrepreneurial efforts;  and representatives from the four counties that VGCC serves.

To learn more about VGCC’s entrepreneurial endeavors, contact Tanya Weary at wearyt@vgcc.edu or 252.738.3521.