September 20, 2018

Afternoon Event features Woman- and Minority-Owned Food Truck Rodeo, Student Art and Business Festival, Student Artist Performances and a Live DJ

Celebrating the spirit of entrepreneurship and the hospitality and tourism industries in South Carolina, the McNair Center for Entrepreneurism at Columbia College will host its fourth annual kickoff event on Tuesday, October 2 from 5-7pm, featuring a woman- and minority-owned food truck rodeo, student art and business festival, student artist performances, and a live DJ, Beasy Baybie of Hot 103.9 (invited). This event, which is co-sponsored by the Business, Entrepreneurship and Accounting Club (BEA), is open to students, alumni and the public and will take place on the east side of campus at the Harrelson Student Services Center off of Colonial Drive.

“This event is designed to showcase the portfolio of entrepreneurial assets at Columbia College, including the new Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management program, and student driven businesses and student artists. Each of these students is making their own entrepreneurial path and it is important we support and celebrate their success,” said Katherine Swartz Hilton, MA, executive director of the McNair Center for Entrepreneurism at Columbia College.  In addition, Columbia College has also started accepting students for their Fashion Business and Entrepreneurship program.  Information on this program will also be available. 

The event will highlight the McNair Entrepreneurship Fellows and Micro Seed Fund programs open to Women’s and Evening College students; will introduce the College’s new Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management program; and will facilitate meaningful connections among students, alumni entrepreneurs and hospitality professionals. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a special 12@12 Luncheon, co-sponsored by the Women’s Business Center.

Food trucks invited include:

  • Karen’s Mobile Kitchen Catering
  • Mary’s Arepas
  • Wings and Dreams

This event is free and open to the public; attendees are encouraged to RSVP via Eventbrite. Food will be available for purchase, as will student art and other products for sale by students. Alumni and attendees are encouraged to donate to the Columbia College Micro Seed Fund, which provides seed-investments to student-driven businesses, and is the only micro-seed fund of its kind at a women’s and small liberal arts college in the United States. Donations are tax-deductible as a charitable gift to a nonprofit organization (FEIN 57-0324915).

About the McNair Center for Entrepreneurism at Columbia College

In 2015, Columbia College was selected to launch The McNair Center for Entrepreneurism with a grant from the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation. One of only six McNair Centers established in the United States, it provides a portfolio of applied learning experiences for students, a micro-seed fund program, mentor connections for Women’s and Evening College students, and outreach programs serving women and girls across the state. In 2017, the first micro-seed funds were awarded to six student entrepreneurs and an ideas incubator center was launched. In 2018, Columbia College opened the Women’s Business Center of South Carolina, which is co-located with the McNair Center for Entrepreneurism.

About BEA

BEA brings Business, Entrepreneurship, and Accounting majors and minors together for social and educational benefits. Activities include programs to stimulate interest in the business, entrepreneurship and accounting fields and to bring contacts to Columbia College.

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