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WU, SBA enter partnership

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WILBERFORCE — The U.S. Small Administration and Wilberforce University on Friday signed a Strategic Alliance Memorandum (SAM), which enables the SBA and the university to further their working relationship, share resources, and create new programs.

The SAM also enables Wilberforce University students to participate in the SBA Columbus District Office’s new initiative, “Pathways to Entrepreneurship.” This program will allow SBA Columbus District staff, as well as SBA resource partner mentors and instructors, to provide students with the foundational tools and knowledge needed to start a small business.

SBA Great Lakes Regional Administrator Geri Aglipay signed the SAM alongside Elfred Anthony Pinkard, Ed.D., president of Wilberforce University, the nation’s oldest private, historically black university owned and operated by African Americans. Mark Madrid, SBA’s associate administrator from the Office of Entrepreneurial Development, was also present at the signing and addressed attendees at the celebration.

“Entrepreneurship is an important economic driver for the growth, development and ascendancy of the black community and this partnership is a key strategy for situating Wilberforce University as a center for entrepreneurial training and education for our students and the Xenia community,” Pinkard said. “We are excited that the expertise, knowledge and resources available through this partnership with the Small Business Administration will enrich and expand the entrepreneurial programming for our students and community.”

Apligay said the Biden-Harris Administration and SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman “have made equity a key focus so that every small business can thrive in America to strengthen income generation, create jobs and build generational wealth.”

“SBA aims to decrease the systemic barriers to access assistance by diverse owners and those from disadvantaged areas,” Aglipay said. “Therefore, the SBA Columbus District Office and HBCU partnership will enhance access to SBA field staff, SBA-backed funding, and the agency’s no-cost counseling, tools, and its ecosystem resource partners to aid diverse owners’ need for financial capital, knowledge capital and social capital to start or buy a small business, as well as to grow, expand, or recover their small business from challenges.”

SBA Columbus District Director Everett M. Woodel Jr., said the SBA Columbus District Office team is looking forward to further collaboration with Wilberforce University.

“The SBA Columbus District’s new entrepreneurial training program, ‘Pathways to Entrepreneurship,’ will introduce Wilberforce students to the small business ecosystem of southern and central Ohio and help ensure their success as small enterprise owners.,” he said. “We are thrilled that through our partnership with Wilberforce University we can help support and foster the success of the next generation of African American innovators and entrepreneurs.”