NACCE Names 2018 Entrepreneurial President and College of the Year at Annual Conference

NACCE Press Releases,
National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) announces 2018 Entrepreneurial College and Entrepreneurial President Awards at 16th Annual Conference.
 
Fort Worth, TX, October 09, 2018 --(PR.com)-- North Idaho College and President Penelope Wills of Yavapai College Receive Top Honors.

The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges, has named North Idaho College (NIC) in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, as its 2018 Heather Van Sickle Entrepreneurial College of the Year at its 16th Annual Conference, now underway in Fort Worth, Texas. Penelope Wills, Ph.D., president of Yavapai College (YC) in Prescott, Arizona, has been named NACCE’s 2018 Entrepreneurial President of the Year.

2018 Heather Van Sickle Entrepreneurial College Award
“North Idaho College has been a trailblazer in leading students and the community in entrepreneurial thinking and action,” said Rebecca Corbin, Ed.D., president and CEO of NACCE. “By creating strategic partnerships in the community and with local industry, the college is building new and innovative pathways to economic vitality in the region. It is a pleasure to recognize this outstanding college, which was selected by an independent judging panel, as the winner of NACCE’s 2018 Entrepreneurial College of the Year Award.”

NIC’s selection as NACCE’s 2018 Entrepreneurial College of the Year is a testament to the leadership of President Richard MacLennan, Ed.D., who credits the award to the college’s ability to respond entrepreneurially to change. “NIC has a history of engaging with longstanding and new partners,” said MacLennan. “The heart of our work is developing our business and community relationships to help fuel the economic vitality of North Idaho. Creating relevant learning opportunities for our students in today’s ever-evolving economy is one of our major imperatives here at NIC.”

2018 Entrepreneurial President Award
Penelope Wills has successfully merged Yavapai College’s mission of educating students with encouraging regional economic development and community engagement, opening the doors to many innovative partnerships. “Through direct contact with local businesses and community stakeholders, the college’s Regional Economic Development Center is a vibrant conduit for creating new initiatives, working collaboratively, and making a positive economic impact on the community,” said Wills.

“President Penelope Wills of Yavapai College has led an aggressive effort to establish an entrepreneurial culture,” said Corbin. “The faculty and staff continue to find novel ways to add to the economic vibrancy of the college and local community and ignite student excitement and enthusiasm for entrepreneurship.”

About NACCE
NACCE is an organization of educators, administrators, presidents and entrepreneurs focused on inciting entrepreneurship in their community and on their campus. NACCE has two main goals: to empower the college to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset and to grow the community college’s role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystem. The association represents 300+ community and technical colleges and 2,000 faculty, staff, administrators and presidents who serve more than 3.3 million students.

For more information, visit www.nacce.com.

Contact:
Rebecca Corbin
856 404-0388
corbin@nacce.com