Aspiring veteran entrepreneurs converge on campus for intensive nine-day residency to learn the ‘nuts and bolts’ of business ownership.

Baton Rouge, LA –  Nine disabled veterans from New York, Indiana, Georgia, Missouri, and Rhode Island have converged on the Louisiana State University (LSU) campus to expand on the traits (resilience, focus and leadership) they developed in the military, and learn the basics of business ownership during the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV). Participants come from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Navy.

Hosted in partnership between the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University and LSU’s E.J. Ourso College of Business, the EBV helps post-9/11 veterans with service-connected disabilities develop skills and tools needed to launch and maintain successful businesses.

The sixth annual LSU program, hosted by the LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute, takes place March 10-18. During this program, EBV participants have access to 19 different training modules in the residency program plus one-on-one coaching each evening for each veteran. From entrepreneurial advice to small business development insight, EBV at LSU strives to ready participants for the challenges and opportunities they will face in starting and sustaining a business for the long term.

Participants also get to have some fun while attending the bootcamp. They will experience Louisiana’s rich culture with various local food offerings, be treated like LSU athletic royalty on Wednesday’s LSU baseball game, and, on graduation day, participants can attend a Louisiana Swamp Tour and a crawfish boil and fish fry.

“LSU has a strong commitment to entrepreneurial education for our students and the EBV program provides LSU with the opportunity to share that education with our nation’s military heroes.  LSU is honored to assist military veterans in the pursuit of their entrepreneurial dreams,” said Michelle Boullion, EBV Director at LSU.

The national EBV program was launched at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management in 2007, and this year celebrates its tenth year of operation. Since the original class, the IVMF has expanded EBV to a total of ten world class universities throughout the U.S., including LSU. Assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration, corporate partners and donors allows post-9/11 veterans and transitioning service members with service-connected disabilities to attend the program cost-free.

EBV is a three-phase program, beginning with a 30-day online instructor-led course. Participants have already begun to shape business plans and learn business language during the online phase. During the second phase, participants will complete an intensive nine-day residency at LSU, learning the “nuts and bolts” of business ownership from established entrepreneurs and educators. Following the residency, EBV graduates will receive access to a yearlong support and mentorship program through the EBV Post Program Support.

This program has always been important to the IVMF as it laid the foundation for much of the work that we do today. To date this program had served over 1390 veterans and we see this investment paying off with over 288 million in revenue generated by our graduates. 72% are starting and growing their businesses and 92% are still in business today. Almost more importantly, they creating jobs, on average they are hiring 5.85 people. Elements of the LSU program will be open to the media upon request, and program leaders and participants will be available for interviews.

Details specific to the EBV program at LSU. Follow along with #LSUEBV2017.

More information on the nationwide EBV program.

###

Media Contacts:

Michelle Boullion, SPHR, CPLP
Executive Education – Interim EBV-LSU Director
Rucks Department of Management – Adjunct Faculty
Phone: 225-578-0089
Email: mboull1@lsu.edu

Misty R. Stutsman
Director, Center of Excellence for Veteran Entrepreneurship
Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF)
Phone: 315.200.5589
Email: mrstutsm@syr.edu

About the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University
The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is the first interdisciplinary national institute in higher education focused on the social, economic, education, and policy issues impacting veterans and their families. Through its professional staff and experts, the IVMF delivers leading programs in career, vocational, and entrepreneurship education and training, while also conducting actionable research, policy analysis, and program evaluations. The IVMF also supports communities through collective impact efforts that enhance delivery and access to services and care. The Institute, supported by a distinguished advisory board, along with public and private partners, is committed to advancing the lives of those who have served in America’s armed forces and their families. For more information, visit ivmf.syracuse.edu and follow the IVMF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities 
The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) is a first-of-its-kind initiative that transforms veterans into entrepreneurs. Delivered by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, the EBV leverages the skills, resources and infrastructure of higher education to offer cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans and transitioning service members with service-related disabilities. Founded at Syracuse University in 2007, the program has since expanded to nine additional universities across the U.S., including Cornell University, Florida State University, Louisiana State University, Purdue University, Saint Joseph’s University, Texas A&M University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University of Connecticut and University of Missouri.  Assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), corporate partners and donors allows participants to attend the program at no cost. For more information, visit ivmf.syracuse.edu and follow the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities on Facebook Twitter and Instagram.