Nearly four years after the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship opened its doors, the final piece necessary for full implementation of the entrepreneurship program has fallen into place. On Thursday, October 2 the Entrepreneurship Curriculum Committee was informed that the Technical Certificate and Entrepreneurship Certificate programs have been approved by the Department of Education for Title IV financial aid eligibility.

“Entrepreneurship certification is designed to give the student practical tools to start or acquire a business,” said Ivy Tech-Bloomington entrepreneurship program chair, Jim Silberstein. “Most new jobs are created by small businesses, so when we graduate students with skills that enable them to start new enterprises, we create opportunities to grow the local economy and generate new jobs.”

Now that the program has been approved for financial aid eligibility, students interested in earning a certificate in entrepreneurship will be able to receive financial aid. There are currently 42 students enrolled in the program at Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, which is nearly half of all students registered in the state. Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus has the capacity to enroll up to 225 students across six courses and nine sections.

For more information about entrepreneurship education at Ivy Tech, log on www.ivytech.edu/study-entrepreneurship.

About the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship

The Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship (www.ivytech.edu/entrepreneurship) at Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus was established in 2010 to develop and implement practical tools and resources for students, individuals, and the community to foster entrepreneurship at Ivy Tech-Bloomington and in the broader economic development region it serves.

About Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.