UTEP KCI: Transforming the way UTEP prepares students for success in the American economy

Programs

UTEP's Kauffman Campus Initiative (UTEP KCI) seeks to infuse entrepreneurship into our university—in education, research, administration, and outreach. These four components work with and complement each other to bring entrepreneurship into UTEP's teaching, study, and practice.

• Education. UTEP KCI is developing teaching modules on personal finance and business creation that will be delivered to entering students in all sections of UNIV 1301. UTEP KCI is also developing teaching modules that can serve upper-division courses in all of the university's colleges. Additionally, UTEP KCI, in partnership with UTEP's Division of Professional and Continuing Education, has developed a certificate program in entrepreneurship that will be available in the Fall 2008 semester to all UTEP students and to all members of the the El Paso-Juarez business community. Please check back often for more details.
• Research. UTEP KCI sponsors the Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship, which fosters the generation, transformation and use of knowledge regarding Hispanic entrepreneurship. Lessons in entrepreneurship by Santiago Ibarreche drawn from Hispanic folk sayings, called dichos, are distributed by the CfHE as the Archives of El Dicho del Día.
• Outreach. UTEP KCI sponsors UTEP's Urban Student Entrepreneur Corps (E-Corps), which provides students hands-on experience with business creation. E-Corps has already provided assistance to over 80 businesses and organizations in the border region. Businesses interested in collaborating with students in an E-Corps project are encouraged to contact Laura Flores at 915-747-7719.
• Practice. UTEP KCI helps faculty, staff and administrators develop an entrepreneurial perspective and put this perspective into practice across campus.

Affiliated Organizations

UTEP KCI is supported by, supports, or partners with these organizations:

• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
• Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship
• El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Invention to Venture
• Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour

Quick Reference Guides

In partnership with the university's own faculty, staff and students, UTEP KCI is developing and distributing a series of Quick Reference Guides to entrepreneurship. These to-the-point guides will cover topics such as creating start-ups from research, integrating entrepreneurship into your courses, and being entrepreneurial in building your tenure case.

Fellows

UTEP KCI is supported by by the University's Kauffman Faculty Fellows, distinguished faculty representing UTEP's colleges and schools, who lead their colleagues in transforming the university toward entrepreneurial perspectives and ways of action.

The Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship is supported by the Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship Fellows, leading researchers in the University who work with students to develop and disseminate new knowledge on entrepreneurship, particularly as it relates to the Hispanic community.

History

UTEP KCI is funded by a Kauffman Campuses Initiative grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. UTEP KCI began in 2004, through the leadership of Frank Hoy. UTEP's initiative began with new course offerings in entrepreneurship, development of the E-Corps, and organizing the Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship.

Events

Upcoming events:

• Invention to Venture (I2V), which is a workshop that teaches technology entrepreneurship basics, helps build networks and provides a framework for moving ideas forward. This will be scheduled for Fall, 2009.
  See http://www.invention2venture.org.

Past events:

• Past Events page.

Staff

• Internal Advisory Board
• Associate Provost David Novick, Ph.D., principal investigator
• Professor Santiago Ibarreche, Ph.D., co-principal investigator
• Laura Flores, MBA, administrative assistant
• Alberto Correa, Ph.D.,visiting professor
• Homero Galicia, Ph.D., visiting professor
• LaTanga Croker, BA, program coordinator/manager
  

To participate in UTEP KCI or for more information, please call 915-747-7719 or write to Dr. Ibarreche or Dr. Novick at their UTEP e-mail addresses.