New Programs Inspire Entrepreneurs at the College of Business at St. Petersburg College

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders in the College of Business at St. Petersburg College are continually assessing and introducing programs that address trends in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and sustainable business practices.

Buoyed by input from business leaders and funding from grants, the College and its new dean, Dr. Emmanuel Hernandez-Agosto, have been gaining momentum in creating new ways for students to gain an edge in the global economy. The latest changes seek to improve the marketability, job and salary prospects of graduates while fostering an entrepreneurial spirit among those who want to strike out on their own.

In the past year, the College has launched specialty tracks in two degrees, expanded the avenues to earn academic credit for business and life experience, known as experiential learning, and created niche certificates where there is great demand.

"One of our goals is to support lifestyle entrepreneurs," said Hernandez-Agosto, who brings with him expertise as a business incubator manager, as well as in entrepreneurship and community development, and 15 years of experience in higher education in the areas of marketing, recruitment, curriculum development and accelerated learning programs for adult learners. "Most entrepreneurial programs focus on high-wage or growth areas like tech, but few focus on and take pride in helping these entrepreneurs."

This fall, the College will launch the bachelor's level Corporate Entrepreneurship Advanced Technical Certificate and the Green Innovations and Social Entrepreneurship Certificate. The corporate entrepreneurship certificate will give students the know-how to innovate within existing, traditional organizational frameworks, turning them into "intrapreneurs." The Green Innovations and Social Entrepreneurship Certificate leans heavily into social enterprises and got its start during a summer sustainability program funded by a $25,000 VentureWell grant, awarded to colleges to expand and strengthen STEM innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.

This year, the College is embarking on Titan Venture XLP, a business incubator that partners with Gibbs High School's Business, Entrepreneurial, Technology Academy in St. Petersburg. Funded by a $100,000 Entrepreneurship Education and Training Grant from the Florida Department of Education, Titan Venture XLP provides mentorship and business lessons to students, who can earn 12–18 college credits for their business ideas and practical experience.

Launched last fall, the bachelor's level Business Analyst Specialist Advanced Technical Certificate focuses on essential business skills like customer needs analysis, and data flow and design and is geared toward technology students who want to transfer to business roles and for business students who want to expand their technical and data skills.

About St. Petersburg College
Founded in 1927, St. Petersburg College (SPC) is Florida's first two-year college. Regionally accredited and nationally recognized, SPC offers more than 200 degree, certificate and transfer programs, including many high-demand, high-skill, industry-recognized workforce certifications. The College's career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to provide students with real-world skills needed to meet the needs of today's employers.

SOURCE St. Petersburg College