The Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute (SEI) at the Louisiana State University (LSU) E. J. Ourso College of Business is part of a consortium of schools that offer the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), which provides cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who were disabled as a result of their service supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The intent of the EBV is to open the door to entrepreneurial opportunity and small business ownership to those individuals by developing their competencies in the many steps and activities associated with creating and sustaining an entrepreneurial venture and also by helping them coordinate their efforts with programs and services for veterans and others with disabilities.
The EBV was first introduced by the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University in 2007 and LSU joined the EBV Consortium of Schools in 2010. SEI recently graduated its third class of EBV at LSU students — 19 veterans with business plans ranging from sustainable farming to engineering consulting firms.
“We are very proud of our 19 graduates and are confident they have the skills and support system to achieve their entrepreneurial goals,” said EBV at LSU Director Robin Kistler. “This program is one of the most fulfilling we have the opportunity to be a part of, and we are thrilled to have had such an engaged and talented group of veterans in our 2014 class.”
As a result of the generous support of the EBV foundation and the private giving of individuals and corporations, all costs — including travel, lodging and meals — for the veterans are covered. The program consists of a three-week online phase in which the veterans work on strengthening their business plans, followed by a one-week in-residence phase on the LSU campus. The program brings in guest entrepreneurs, faculty and experts from the community to teach during the in-residence phase. More than 50 people volunteered their time and expertise for the 2014 EBV at LSU program.
“It was an awesome experience,” said U.S. Army veteran Henry Polee. “I enjoyed the lectures and camaraderie established between the students and staff, which enhanced the experience. The program strengthened the areas where I was weak or unsure of prior to the program. It provided me with the requisite knowledge and confidence to pursue my dream of owning a business.”
The EBV is designed around two central elements — focused, practical training in the tools and skills of new venture creation and growth, reflecting issues unique to disability and public benefits programs; and the establishment of a support structure for graduates of the program — veterans are provided ongoing technical assistance from faculty experts at the EBV universities and EBV partners.
“This is one of the most important programs SEI works on all year because it can have such a significant positive impact on those transitioning from the military,” said Kistler. “It can and has changed lives.”
The EBV program represents a unique opportunity for men and women who have sacrificed for America’s freedom to take an important step toward realizing their economic freedom through entrepreneurship. EBV is a selective, rigorous and intense educational initiative that has been created to make a difference. Successful candidates for admission demonstrate a strong interest in entrepreneurship, high motivation for owning and managing a business, and a high likelihood of successful completion of the intense training program.
For more information on EBV at LSU, visit http://ebv.lsu.edu or call (225) 578-5516. For more information on the nationwide EBV program, visit http://whitman.syr.edu/ebv or call (315) 443-6007.
