The National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges, announced that President Carl Hite of Cleveland State Community College has joined its new Presidents for Entrepreneurship Forum. Through the program, presidents of community colleges throughout the country commit to increase the focus on entrepreneurship at their institutions and the impact these colleges have on the economic well being of the communities they serve. Officials from four other Tennessee community colleges have also joined the new forum.
With the economy still lagging in many regions of the United States, more than 175 community colleges have joined the entrepreneurship forum, and by doing so, have committed to playing a greater role in stimulating economic development in the communities they serve.
Dr. Carl Hite, CSCC President, said, “Cleveland State has played a major role in the creation of new businesses in this community because of the establishment of two business incubators and the work of our SBDC. Now with college membership in NACCE, we hope to do even more in giving residents in Tennessee an opportunity to start their own businesses and be very successful.
Other Tennessee community college presidents joining the forum are: Bruce Scism, Volunteer State Community College, Gallatin; Ivan Jones, Tennessee Technology Center, Shelbyville; Mark Lenz, Tennessee Technology Center, Nashville; and Gary Goff, Roane State Community College, serving Roane County and Oak Ridge, Campbell, Cumberland, Fentress, Loudon, Morgan and Scott Counties.