News Release
Contacts: Robert T. Tad Perry, Executive Director
tadp@ris.sdbor.edu
Janelle Toman, Director of Information and Institutional Research
janellet@ris.sdbor.edu
T: 605.773.3455
F: 605.773.5320
www.sdbor.edu

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 9, 2003

Public Higher Education Offers Training in Entrepreneurship

MADISON – A new minor to be offered by all public universities in South Dakota will prepare more college graduates to establish and operate small businesses.

The South Dakota Board of Regents Wednesday created a system undergraduate minor in entrepreneurial studies to be offered beginning this spring. Regents said interest in the new 19-hour program is high, especially among non-business majors.

“Public higher education is committed to being an aggressive partner with the state and the private sector in developing South Dakota’s 21^st century economy,” Regents President Harvey C. Jewett said. “Helping our students gain skills to start, own, or operate a business can only benefit our state’s economy in the long run.”

Jewett said students majoring in any academic field who pursue the minor will learn business and leadership skills, as well as how to transfer technology to a merchandisable product and assist others in entrepreneurship. For example, a music major who minored in entrepreneurial studies would have the basic business skills needed to own or operate a music store, market particular skills to the music industry, execute contracts for music services, or work for civic centers, arts facilities, or related industry.

“Every student seeking this minor will write a business plan and present it to a panel of entrepreneurs and business people,” Jewett said. The panel will evaluate the plan, make recommendations to faculty, and select the top three plans to be presented by students at a statewide competition. It is expected that awards and scholarships would also be secured from private sources, grants, and foundations.

Robert T. Tad Perry, the regents’ executive director, said the entrepreneurial studies minor was developed cooperatively by all six public universities and submitted through the regents’ Business Discipline Council. “All our universities will cooperate in the delivery of these courses to off-campus locations and by distance, but only one university will be authorized to develop each particular course,” Perry said. He also noted that no new state resources were sought to implement or operate the program.

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