Winter Spring 2018 Edition NACCE_WinterSpring_2018_NonMember | Page 7
Question 3: What resources do you need to be successful in growing
e-ship at your institution?
Key challenges identified:
• shortage of funding
• lack of cross campus buy-in and communication
• shortage of partners from on and off-campus
• too much theory and not enough “how to”
• not enough student input
Potential solutions:
• financial support
• networks/connections
• searchable online tools
Prototypes included groups focused on online resources through
NACCE.
Question 4: How does NACCE best communicate/engage members
across the NACCE community?
Key challenges identified:
• lack of an initial “hook”
• lack of concise communications
• a need for more clear and useful data
• a need for a think tank culture for problem solving
• not enough time due to steep learning curve for new members
• too many websites and sources to follow
“Entrepreneurship education is evolving and continues to advance
every year,” observed Mittan. “It can be difficult for community
colleges to stay up to date with all that’s happening. This challenge,
plus the need for continuity when a president or entrepreneurial
champion leaves the college, often results in a leadership gap. This is
why it’s so important to have more than one person waving the flag.”
Potential solutions:
• more in-person communication
• hard data that makes the case for e-ship, particularly related to
economic impact and ripple effect
• better capture of member intellectual capital
• more “push” messaging with bullet points and strategic
distribution for messaging
• marketing strategy focused on data-driven value and impact of
e-ship regionally
Prototypes included an increase in top down buy-in, i.e., presidents
signing the PFEP and backing it up with dedicated resources and
increased buy-in bottom up with faculty and staff. Creating marketing
messages with data-driven impact of e-ship regionally, customized
to each member college and ecosystem (including the ripple effect)
were also cited, as well as push notifications of talking points and
opportunities for members and building a distribution network of
influencers. Metatags were also suggested to make information more
searchable.
Leading Innovation
Bearing down on these and other questions with board members
and presidents, Rebecca Corbin explored the areas of future growth.
Among the challenges cited by these groups were the disparities
between philanthropic support for community colleges (community
colleges receive approximately 14 percent of the $60 billion annually
awarded to institutions of higher learning). Participants also cited
the problem of donors “topping out,” a lack of human and physical
resources for fundraising, and foundation funding that is restricted for
specific projects and (with anticipated) results.
Key challenges included:
• burn out
• lack of focus
• a need for new ideas
• increased pressures
• a need for new skill sets
Potential solutions:
• a new model
• better data
• improved alignment to strategic priorities
• better training
• improved integration of goals throughout the college
• ability to showcase results/value
Prototypes ranged from students, faculty and administrators
showcasing more about what they are d oing, to identifying other
non-foundation support. Also mentioned were more follow-up
and “celebrating” of entrepreneurial successes; identifying new
fundraising models, re-educating leadership; determining what
donors value through focus groups; and finding ways to maximize
asset management and ROI.
“One of the college presidents had stated at a recent board retreat
how small changes can have a big impact and that shooting for the
moon was a good goal for an entrepreneurial college,” observed
Corbin. “This is the kind of thinking that ignites innovation.”
As NACCE explores its future direction, it will need a clearer
picture of how to meet member needs and help colleges further their
ecosystems on many levels, including leadership, tools, ecosystem
infrastructure and internal and external support, observed Corbin.
“NACCE as an organization has built a reputation for innovation and
entrepreneurial leadership, and in that vein, we will continue to seek
solutions by looking at our challenges in novel and compelling ways.
That is our new entrepreneurship agenda.” ●
Contact: [email protected]
“No matter where you are in your leadership journey, never forget
that what got you to where you are won’t get you the next level.”
JOHN MAXWELL
National Association For Community College Entrepreneurship • nacce.com
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