During a nine-day residency at an EBV university, students learn the basics of business ownership from entrepreneurship educators.
The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) recently received a $350,000 grant from Prudential Financial, Inc., that will help the institute continue to build the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) for its renowned Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV).
The EBV is delivered in three phases. The first two phases include a 30-day, instructor-led online course that focuses on the basic skills of entrepreneurship and the language of business. This is followed by a nine-day residency at an EBV university, where students learn the basics of business ownership from accomplished entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship educators from across the country.
During the third phase, EBV-TAP provides a year of support and mentorship through its robust network of mentors, resources and national partnerships to help graduates realize and accomplish their professional and personal goals. Among the post-program services offered to EBV graduates at no or low cost through TAP are assistance with logo/website design, marketing, legal support and finding access to capital.
“This funding from Prudential will allow us to provide the support that our graduates need, after they complete the EBV program, to reach their goals and to be successful,” says J. Michael Haynie, ϲ’s vice chancellor for veterans and military affairs and executive director of the IVMF. “We are very grateful for Prudential’s demonstrated support for veterans and their belief in the great skills and value that veterans bring to their respective communities, both professionally and personally.”
“ϲ is dedicated to being the best place for veterans,” says ϲ Chancellor Kent Syverud. “This generous grant from Prudential will further strengthen our abilities to provide the education and resources that our veterans need to turn their ideas and skills into strong, successful businesses and ventures in their post-service lives.”
Charles Sevola, vice president and head of the Office of Veterans Initiatives at Prudential, says, “Our military veterans have served our country honorably, and Prudential is proud to be able to support this important program that is helping them become successful business owners.”
The EBV, a national program, leverages the skills, resources and infrastructure of higher education to offer cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans with service-connected disabilities and a passion for entrepreneurship, as well as military family members who serve in a caregiver role to a veteran with a service-connected disability. The program opens doors to economic opportunity veterans and their families by developing the skills they need to create and sustain an entrepreneurial venture.
