Your local university campus — a little-known business resource — offers
counseling, consulting and training services, often at no cost to clients.
“The economic impact of the hundreds of
jobs created and retained annually and the
cost savings to area businesses are important
to the future of the region and our local economy,” says Betsy Boze, dean of the Kent State
University Stark Campus. “Local universities
like ours serve hundreds of businesses a year
in customized executive training and
research, including LEAN/Six Sigma training
and certification, strategic planning and market research.”
Additionally, universities like Kent State
Stark sometimes cooperate with SCORE, a
nonprofit association that locally boasts
more than 30 experienced, retired business
owners and executives who provide entrepreneurs and small business owners with
confidential, free business advice.
Smart Business talked to Boze about the
services available to businesses at local university campuses.
What kind of meeting and conference facilities are available?
Many universities, including the Kent State
Stark Campus, offer state-of-the-art technology, free parking and quality in-house food
service. These facilities and conference centers can be used for board meetings, training
sessions, corporate retreats, high-end social
events, fundraisers and weddings. Our
Professional Education and Conference
Center is one of only two accredited
International Association of Conference
Centers in Northeast Ohio.
What small business development services
are available through local campuses?
Small Business Development Centers like
ours offer counseling, consulting, training
and referrals. The Kent State Stark SBDC is a
cooperative effort of the state of Ohio, the
federal government and Kent State
University Stark Campus. Certified business
analysts provide management assistance to
pre-venture individuals and current small
business owners at little or no cost. Some small businesses can work with business and
management faculty, using students to assist
with their research and planning needs
through supervised classroom projects. In
some instances, students volunteer in areas
related to what they are studying to reinforce
learning and help them appreciate the community and the industry. Our 5,300 students
volunteered more than 25,000 hours last year.
What training programs work in conjunction
with certain private businesses?
Many exciting partnerships can be created,
especially with manufacturing, health care
and service organizations. Customized professional training and organization development are popular programs. These include
management development for mid-level
managers, retreats with organization leaders
to develop their mission and vision statements, and strategic plan and team-building
with cross-functional work groups.
How do student internships work?
Internships are a great way for an employer to provide a bridge during expansion or
bring in a fresh perspective. Sometimes
internships are so successful that they turn
into permanent positions, but there is no expectation or commitment on the part of
the employer. Students may participate in
paid or unpaid internships that carry course
credit. Some degrees require an internship
for graduation. Some students work with an
employer to expand on the typical work
experience and participate in management
or decision-making activities.
How do degree-completion programs work,
and what kind of cooperation is expected
from employers?
With the rapid rate of change in information
and technology, employers recognize the
value of a liberal arts education. Some courses that may not seem directly related actually benefit the employee and the work force
by improving critical thinking as well as communication, technology and reasoning skills.
While high school or an associate degree may
have been enough to get ahead just a few
years ago, today’s high-paying jobs and the
jobs of the future require a bachelor’s degree.
Degree-completion programs build on
existing course work or associate degrees
leading to bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Our
hope is that employers support their employees’ education with flexible scheduling
and/or tuition assistance. In some cases, students can design a customized major.
We are launching our Business Flex program, where a student can earn a bachelor’s
degree in business administration (BBA) by
attending classes only two nights a week.
BETSY BOZE is dean of Kent State University Stark in Canton.
Reach her at (330) 535-3377 or [email protected]. For free management consulting, call SCORE at (330) 244-3280 or e-mail
[email protected]. Chris Paveloi is responsible for student internships and can be reached at (330) 244-5043 or
[email protected]. The Office of Corporate and Community
Services, (330) 244-3508 or [email protected],
offers training and research. The Small Business Development
Center, (330) 244-3295 or [email protected], has small
business development, counseling and training services. To
inquire about special events or meetings, contact the Professional
Education and Conference Center at (330) 244-3300 or
[email protected].
