Runner was provided this opportunity thanks to an entrepreneurship scholarship provided by the conference sponsors: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City; the Coleman Foundation of Chicago; and NEX2U of Orlando. She also was a finalist for a $3,000 Elevator Grant provided by the Coleman Foundation for program innovation.
The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education’s conference focused on launching its new project encouraging “Entrepreneurship Everywhere.” Among the supporters for the concept is the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. West Virginia recently signed on as the second state supporting the need for 21st century skills in the classroom.
Also in attendance was Susan Rice, Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). The WVDE is laying the foundation for entrepreneurial education by creating a position specifically designed to coordinate all entrepreneurial initiatives. West Virginia is only one of two states to have such a position to serve as an advocate for entrepreneurial education.