The Macomb Community College Foundation has received a $700,000 gift to support the college’s business and entrepreneurial education programs.
The anonymous gift will fund a $50,000 endowed scholarship at Macomb Community College to support accounting students, a $100,000 endowed fund to support professional development opportunities for the college’s business faculty, and $550,000 to support Macomb’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a one-stop resource for both students and community members for entrepreneurship education and training, mentorship for startups and existing small business, and access to capital.
“Our donor is not only signaling a strong confidence in the quality of Macomb Community College’s business and entrepreneurial programs, but is also investing in the future promise of our students, faculty and community,” says James Jacobs, president, Macomb Community College.
He says the donor was personally impressed by the power of the college’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship after experiencing its first student pitch competition in April and seeing the impactful, hands-on educational process the competition provided. An initial field of 50 students is now down to eight finalists who vied to win up to a $5,000 award to support their business idea. The center’s second student pitch competition is being held Friday on the college’s Center Campus in Clinton Township, and is free and open to the public. More information and registration is available at macomb.edu/pitch.