Winter Spring 2018 Edition NACCE_WinterSpring_2018_NonMember | Page 3

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
A State of
Keen Awareness
First, let me say how very excited I am to be writing to you as NACCE’s new board chair. It is a
privilege and an honor to work with some of the country’s leading entrepreneurial thinkers and
practitioners who are proud NACCE members.
I
am also excited about how our institutions are collectively
committed to entrepreneurship, not only in entrepreneurial
curriculum and training, but also in the very nature of all that we
do. It is a very challenging time for all of us as institutional leaders.
What is the next big thing? How do we keep moving our organizations
forward after a decade or so of unprecedented change and innovation?
Today, we have to be more keenly aware than ever about the needs
in our communities. The status quo is never good enough for an
entrepreneurial person, leader or college and this is undeniably true
today. The needs in our communities hold opportunities for each
of us. Identifying them requires having more than one set of eyes
and ears; in fact, it requires many. This collective awareness enables
us to unearth opportunities. At Fox Valley Technical College, we
strive to set a tone that encourages active listening and put what
resources we can toward new ideas and new partnerships. When we
approach community needs this way, we solve problems and act as a
tremendous catalyst for change.
Investing in Change
Fifteen years ago, we initiated a Strategic Investment Process at
Fox Valley. This process still serves us well today. It was actually the
process used to establish our community entrepreneurship center – the
Venture Center - just one of 78 initiatives successfully advanced and
implemented over this time period.
We recently invested $20,000 in seed money for a proof-of-concept
project involving the use of augmented reality in our diesel technology
program. With the funds, we purchased several of Microsoft’s HoloLens,
which are virtual reality eyewear with accompanying software, and
to cover staff time involved with this development. Our program
instructors and members of the college’s Learning Innovations Team
(specialists in digital technology learning enhancements), developed
an application allowing students to see in 3D the inner workings of an
engine, which are typically hidden by the engine casing. Given a severe
shortage of diesel technicians in our region’s communities, we need to
develop “stand-out” tools such as this to attract prospective students
and enhance their learning in repairing these complicated systems. This
is the first application we know of that marries HoloLens and diesel
technology. What an incredible learning tool!
Tuning In to Opportunities
Maintaining a keener awareness requires you to be tuned in at a
higher level than ever before. While we often think of tuning in to
employer needs for addressing opportunities, there are many other
potential partners that hold promise for working together, including
K-12 schools, non-profit organizations, and communities in general.
Wisconsin has a new requirement requiring all public school
students to have Academic and Career plans. As a result, middle
schools in particular are looking for career exploration experiences
for their students, and we have been inundated with requests from
middle schools to bring young people on campus for this type of
experience.
At the same time, we became aware of the local Junior
Achievement organization’s interest in establishing a capstone
facility concentrating on careers and financial literacy in the
community. We immediately got involved and are working today on
a partnership agreement with Junior Achievement to create a joint
Career Discovery Center focusing on STEM careers on our campus
to address both organizations’ needs. Through this collaboration,
it’s likely that we will be able to do more together than we could
individually for young people in our broader community.
It’s very easy to get excited about people who want to make
improvements at your community college or center. Whether these
enhancements involve teaching and learning processes, or address
community needs, bringing creative solutions to challenges is
dynamic, and seeing people in your organization running with ideas
is energizing on every level! ●
Susan A. May, Ed.D.
Board Chair
National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship
President, Fox Valley Technical College
National Association For Community College Entrepreneurship • nacce.com
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