Abstract
Entrepreneurship is commonly hailed as a catalyst for bolstering the economic vitality of communities and fostering income generation for businesses. At its essence, entrepreneurship embodies an ethos centered on value creation, innovation, and proactive problem-solving. Consequently, entrepreneurship holds the potential to cultivate innovative solutions to diverse challenges and to enhance value across various spheres beyond the realm of business. Learners to Leaders: Entrepreneurship Reimagined comprises a suite of programs developed by Nebraska Extension, the outreach arm of the US land-grant university system, designed to immerse participants in the entrepreneurial framework. This presentation spotlights three flagship programs: “UpStarts: From Classroom to Boardroom,” which empowers high school youth (ages 14-19) to serve as consultants for local rural businesses; “Youth Arise,” engaging youth (age 10-15) as community leaders addressing civic and societal issues through an entrepreneurial lens; and “Hand Crafted,” fostering collaboration between adult learners, immigrant communities, and long-term residents through crafts and arts to establish sustainable businesses. Each program underscores how the entrepreneurial process and mindset, emphasizing opportunity identification, data-driven decision-making, iterative learning, and continuous innovation, transcend traditional business boundaries to offer versatile solutions for sustainability and growth. Moreover, the three programs are dedicated to nurturing positive youth development (e.g., positive decision-making, self-esteem) and fostering social support and a sense of connection to the community. This further illustrates the potential for entrepreneurship education not only to drive economic growth but also to support individual and community-based outcomes by empowering participants with essential life skills and fostering strong community ties.
Presenters
Maria Rosario T. De GuzmanProfessor, Child, Youth and Family Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, United States Molly Brandt
Extension Educator, Nebraska 4-H, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Nebraska, United States Surin Kim
Student, MBA, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Education, Entrepreneurship, Innovative programming, Youth Development, Community Development
