On Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, Michigan State University, represented by the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, received 2019’s Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Center’s, or GCEC, prestigious prize for Outstanding Student Engagement and Leadership.
Competing against globally recognized entrepreneurship centers, Michigan State’s Entrepreneurship program took center stage for the second year in a row, this time in Stockholm, Sweden. GCEC’s annual awards showcase and celebrate the very best of university entrepreneurship, recognizing top programs in seven categories.
“We’re incredibly proud,” said Paul Jaques, director of student and community engagement for the Burgess Institute. “For a second year, Michigan State University has been recognized on a global stage as a leader in entrepreneurship education. Together with our partners, we’re building a globally competitive program.
This year, GCEC was hosted by the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship. The annual event focuses on entrepreneurial ecosystems across the globe that support starting and building businesses and harnessing students’ entrepreneurial mindset. GCEC received over 200 nomination proposals and was attended by over 700 leaders in university entrepreneurship. The organization represents more than 250 universities.
This year, Lori Fischer, the Burgess Institute’s Discovery Program manager, served as a GCEC nomination screener. “I am surprised and humbled; two consecutive years is overwhelming. Every year, we keep refining Entrepreneurship and Innovation here on Michigan State’s campus. We continue to strive for excellence in serving our students.”
Both the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University received GCEC’s 2018 award for Outstanding Student Engagement and Leadership.