About EnGen

EnGen: Empowering the Next Entrepreneurial Generation

Overview:

EnGen was launched as part of Moving Ideas to Market (MI2M), with leadership from Prima Civitas Foundation, and with funding from the C.S. Mott Foundation.   For over two years, EnGen partners have been working across 13+ counties (encompassing Saginaw/Bay/Midland, Flint, Lansing, Jackson, Mount Pleasant and beyond) to identify opportunities for major academic institutions’ entrepreneurship faculty to share, develop, and grow professionally – building a powerful network of dedicated entrepreneurship faculty. 

Goals:

At a November 2008 retreat, nearly three-dozen engaged partners agreed that three primary areas of focus should be:

• innovations in teaching entrepreneurship strategies and growing entrepreneurial culture, including related education delivery methods and curriculum;
• experiential learning opportunities for students, including internships with entrepreneurial firms and multi-institutional events and activities meant to raise hands-on awareness and experience related to entrepreneurship pathways;
• development and sustainability for an ongoing entrepreneurial network focused on the above, but also charged with promoting greater attention to and awareness of entrepreneurship at senior leadership levels at respectively involved institutions.  (This latter point was especially emphasized by a representative from the Kauffman Foundation, who presented on the Kauffman Campuses initiative.)

Relationships

Related to EnGen program development, in February, 2009, Governor Granholm wrote in her “State of the State Address” :  To restore our state’s economy, we need to tap the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that fostered the development of our domestic auto industry more than 100 years ago.  This year, our Michigan Economic Development Corporation will launch a competition among Michigan universities to develop a comprehensive statewide plan to use our higher education system to maximize entrepreneurial activity in Michigan. This will involve better curricula to train the entrepreneurs we need to spur business growth and job creation, more effective transfer of university-developed research and technology, and increased assistance for growing Michigan businesses – all designed to power the transformation of our economy.

The EnGen consortium responded to her address with a letter, requesting to meet so that she could become aware of this Mid Michigan initiative on undergraduate entrepreneurship education.   In its response EnGen wrote:   Your State of the State remarks could not have come at a better time.  At this critical moment in our history, we seek the resources to implement these programs and provide our youth access to the best of each of our partner organizations.  Program strength comes from our network and the ability to highly leverage the assets of existing public, private and nonprofit organizations.  By collaborating, not competing, we believe we can achieve more. 

To date, EnGen has focused largely on initial network development and action planning.  Identifying, recruiting, and mobilizing entrepreneurship faculty and student clubs within this Mid Michigan region to act as a collective body has been an impressive outcome of the Moving Ideas To Market initiative.  EnGen’s strength lies in the diversity of the university partners and their comprehensive assets, and in the commitment of the core team members.  With such a strong foundation, the consortium is poised for program development and coordination.  

EnGen Team Membership

• Baker College Flint
• Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
• Delta College
• Jackson Community College
• Kettering University
• Lawrence Technological University
• Lansing Community College
• Lansing Economic Area Partnership
• Michigan State University
• Michigan Virtual University
• Mott Community College
• MPowered
• Northwood University
• Saginaw Valley State University
• St. Clair Community College
• Spotlight Michigan
• The Launch Pad
• University of Michigan Dearborn
• University of Michigan – Flint - LAUNCH

For More Information, please contact:

Chris Stickney

Moving Ideas to Market Project Implementer

Michigan State University Extension

160 Agriculture Hall; East Lansing, MI 48824

Stickne4@anr.msu.edu, (517)432-7650

Georgia Abbott

Director, Alden B. Dow Center for Creativity and Enterprise

 Engen Chair, Fieldwork Consulting & Entrepreneurial Projects