United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship(USASBE) Announces Finalists for 2023 Excellence Awards

TALLAHASSEE, FL, UNINTED STATES, October 31: The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) announced the finalists for the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Awards as part of the USASBE 2023: Driven By Dreams annual conference to be held at Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, January 18-22. “This is one of the most exciting elements and value-added components of our organization,” said Julienne Shields, CEO of USASBE. “Sharing the breadth of efforts and excellence of these finalists, even before the conference, helps our members really see what can be done. And, our finalists love to share their stories so others can learn and replicate ideas in ecosystems.” The USASBE Model Entrepreneurship Program Award, Model Emerging Entrepreneurship Program Award, Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Award, and Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation Award recognize bold and innovative programs making an impact in the field of entrepreneurship education. These awards honor colleges and universities with comprehensive, creative, high-quality, sustainable, and impactful courses and co-curricular programs in entrepreneurship education. Two new awards this year—the Model University Accelerator/Incubator and Model Community Accelerator/Incubator Awards—recognize both collegiate and community programs that help young entrepreneurs develop their ideas into viable and even scalable businesses. “The quality of the applications this year was higher than ever,” said Judi Eyles, program awards co-chair. “We are seeing programs really put together strong cases for these awards, making the selection of finalists a real challenge.” 2023 USASBE Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Award Finalists Model Entrepreneurship Program Award Indiana University, Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation University of St. Thomas, Schulze School of Entrepreneurship Robert Morris University, Massey Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Model Emerging Entrepreneurship Program Award Auburn University University of Wyoming Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Award Georgetown Startup Initiative (GSI) Wake Forest University – IDEATE Method Wharton Interactive – The Entrepreneurship Game Washington University – The Endgame of Entrepreneurship Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation Award Florida Atlantic University – Entrepreneur Bootcamp Northeastern University, Roux Institute – Founder Residency The University of Auckland – Summer Lab University of Michigan – Flint, Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Model University Accelerator/Incubator Award San Diego State University, Zahn Innovation Platform Launchpad Northern Kentucky University, INKUBATOR University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, iVenture Accelerator Model Community Accelerator/Incubator Award BLAC 24/7, Black Business Entrepreneurial Accelerator (BBEA), Waterloo, IA BIZStarts, Milwaukee, WI “Finalists in all six categories deserve the highest praise and recognition,” added Dennis Barber, III, program awards co-chair. “Following the upcoming presentations from each program, I am sure that it will be difficult to name only one as the best in each category.” Finalists will prepare and present their cases for selection as the award winner in January 2023. All finalists will share their presentations on the main stage at the annual conference, and award recipients will be announced during a formal ceremony on January 21. About USASBE Founded in 1981, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) is an inclusive community of educators, researchers, and entrepreneurs advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship, and practice. Membership is open to all, as is attendance at USASBE’s hallmark annual conference. USASBE also publishes a peer-reviewed academic journal, Entrepreneurship Education & Pedagogy, and develops a variety of helpful resources and professional development opportunities for entrepreneurship educators as they create a positive impact. For more information, visit USASBE.org