From left to right: EMCC board member Spencer Broocks, instructor Joshua Carroll and board member Rudy Johnson. The college will offer an entrepreneurship course in Starkville this semester. (Photo by Charlie Benton, SDN)
East Mississippi Community College will offer a class in Starkville for the coming semester.
Starting Aug. 14, a principles of entrepreneurship course will be presented at the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District at 106 Miley Drive. The course will cover the basics of entrepreneurship and will dovetail into the associate’s degree in entrepreneurship the college will offer starting in spring 2019. The class will be taught by EMCC instructor Bruce Hanson.
“We’re trying to help students in our footprint serve the community better,” said EMCC business and marketing technology instructor Joshua Carroll. “We’re offering courses at off-site locations, so that we can help afford the cost of transportation for certain students. Starkville’s one of those places.”
Carroll said the location would better serve those on the west side of the county. He also said the college planned to expand to dual-enrollment seminars, ACT prep and a residual ACT test at the off-site locations.
“We’ve been looking for ideas to do this for a number of years,” Carroll said. “It just so happened this past year that the opportunity opened up.” Golden Triangle Planning and Development District Director and EMCC Board member Rudy Johnson said he was giving back with both of his roles.
“If we can save students time from having to go drive out to campus, save them time, money, gas, then that’s what we want to do,” Johnson said. “I just like to give back, and this space here will give them an opportunity to come down here and go to school instead of driving 20 miles.”
Johnson said he was letting the college use the room free of charge.
“I feel like if you’re on the board, you need to facilitate and do everything you can to help whatever organization you’re on that board for, and that’s what I’m doing,” Johnson said.
Space remains open for the class, and anyone interested can contact Carroll at 662-243-1943 or at jcarroll@ eastms.edu.
“This is just going to get a principles of entrepreneurship class started,” Carroll said. “For those that might like to have a degree in entrepreneurship, that is in the works, and it will be offered in the spring, and this class will count as credit for that program.”
However, Carroll said the class alone would be a good resource for anyone looking to start their own business.
EMCC will also begin offering courses in Marion for the same reasons, starting with the principles of entrepreneurship course. Plans are also in the works to offer a certified nurse assistant program in Marion.