Huntsman School Receives International Recognition for Entrepreneurship Ed

The Small Enterprise Education and Development (SEED) program at Utah State University’s Jon M. Huntsman School of Business was recognized as one of the top entrepreneurship education programs in the world by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) at the organization’s annual conference in Stockholm, September 26-28.

Attended by 400 entrepreneurship center directors and entrepreneurial educators from more than 225 top universities around the globe, the conference is considered the most prestigious in the world for university-based entrepreneurship education. 

“The GCEC is the most prestigious organization for entrepreneurship education, and it is an honor for the SEED program to be recognized,” said Michael Glauser, professional practice professor and executive director of USU Huntsman’s Center for Entrepreneurship which administers the SEED program. “It’s exciting to be involved with this unique program that serves both micro business owners in developing countries and students who are learning, applying and teaching business principles that help these individuals grow their businesses. It’s a program that is truly life changing for both the students and the business owners they support.”

Out of 92 universities, SEED was recognized as one of the Top 5 Specialty Entrepreneurship Education Programs, an award that honors originality and innovation in entrepreneurship education. Through the SEED program, student interns are sent to Ghana, the Philippines, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala to mentor and help local entrepreneurs establish small businesses. Over the course of the semester, the students help the business owners write business plans, launch new ventures, set goals, create budgets, develop accounting practices and organize inventory management systems. 

SEED was also honored in January 2019 by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) as the first-place winner of the Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation award.