Are you currently in the midst of or thinking about writing a business plan, but feel overwhelmed, confused and unmotivated? Does the sheer thought of 40 pages of planning intimidate you?

We understand.

That’s why this workshop is for you. We’ll teach you how to write a killer business plan.

Join us next week for our second ENTR Workshop of the semester with Stephen Auvil--October 26 from 12-1 PM in entreSpace--and learn how to literally frame your business on paper. Learn what’s worth writing about, how to phrase it, and what investors really want to see in your business plan. Stop wasting time stressing and come sit with us next Wednesday to put all your concerns to rest. We can’t wait to see you there!

Description

There is a wide variety in the quality of business plans that are written by entrepreneurs. Business plans that lead to venture capital investment are often of a “Professional” quality, while many of those drafted by inexperienced entrepreneurs and students (for MBA programs or business plan competitions) do not achieve the same level of sophistication. This talk will discuss some of the key parts of a business plan and what it takes to develop a professional quality plan that is ready for investors. Whether you want to raise money or win the next business plan competition, this talk will you understand what it takes to prepare for the development of a solid business plan.

About Stephen

Stephen Auvil is the senior vice president for technology transfer and commercialization at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). In this role, he is responsible for overseeing TEDCO’s funding programs. In this capacity, he reviews proposals from a variety of start-up and early-stage companies. Prior to his four years at TEDCO, Stephen spent 17 years in university technology transfer at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Before his time as a technology transfer professional, Stephen worked for two small medical device companies where he had a variety of responsibilities ranging from rebuilding medical devices under GMP to setting-up and networking computerized accounting systems. He began his career as a laboratory technician studying ion channels in membranes. Stephen graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Engineering Science from Loyola College in Maryland, and went on to earn a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore and a Master’s of Science in Biotechnology from the Johns Hopkins University.

Tonight our partners in Student Affairs are hosting Critical Interactions, an interactive program where students will join INTERACT Program peer facilitators to explore how they each make meaning of ‘home.’

But what is INTERACT?

A collaboration between the Division of Student Affairs and the Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication Department, INTERACT aims to provide first-year residential students with specific training in intercultural communication and authenticity.

As a university focused on innovation and ground-breaking research, it is the hope of this collaborative to enhance incoming students’ confidence and competence in diversity and inclusion in order to prepare them for their time at UMBC and beyond.

Critical Interactions will be held tonight (Oct. 24th) from 7:30-9pm in University Center 310. 

For a full list of Critical Social Justice: Home events, click here.

Neel Savani, a researcher at UMBC’s Goddard Planetary Heliophysics Institute, (GPHI), is developing a system that can forecast solar storms up to 24 hours in advance, a huge improvement over the current ability to give a one-hour warning. His team’s phase I MII grant will allow them to “get a handle and statistical understanding of how good of an improvement this forecast will be,” Savani explains, “If I can validate how much the improvement will be, then I can convert that into a sales pitch.”

“It’s great to see the state of MD take the lead in supporting space technology,” Savani adds, “I’m seeing venture capitalists looking to invest in the space industry.”

Habakkuk 2:3 - “This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming-it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait.  It’s on its way. It will come right on time.”

“Dear friends,

If God has given you a vision that will glorify Him, don’t ever give up! As a new Christian in 1945, God gave me a vision to produce a film for evangelism on the life of Jesus, to be shown throughout the world.

Following the impression that I was to do such a film, I visited Hollywood giant Cecil B. Demill and reviewed various films that had already been done on the life of Jesus, but found none that I felt was satisfactory for what I felt the Lord wanted me to do.  We were limited in funds so for 33 years I prayed.  The Board of Directors of Campus Crusade for Christ joined me in prayer and we waited for the day when funds would be available. Then one day in a brief moment of God’s eternity, He raised up three people to make that dream a reality.

It was a glorious, unforgettable day in 1979 when Bunker and Caroline Hunt, then one of the richest couples in the world, and John Heymen a Hollywood producer of 45 major films, were visiting our Arrowhead Springs headquarters. As I shared my vision with Bunker and Caroline, they were so taken with the idea that, this being Saturday, on the following Monday the money was released to underwrite a film that within a decade had already touched the lives of over a half-billion people in 245 languages of the world.  Now, since its release in 1980, it has been translated into more than 750 languages and viewed or listened to by some 5 billion people in 236 countries.

Never give up. Don’t be impatient. God’s timing is not our timing. To Him a day is as 1,000 years and 1,000 years is as a day (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8).  Be obedient to the heavenly vision and trust Him that in His divine timing the dream that He has placed in your heart will become a reality. If God gives you a vision don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t become a reality immediately. Some of the most important impressions that God has placed in my heart, such as the JESUS film and the International Christian Leadership University, have taken decades to become reality.

Yours for fulfilling the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns,
Bill Bright”
(Taken from Bill Bright/Campus Crusade for Christ.)

-AP

It is common to hear UMBC students complain that there is nothing to do on campus. While there are little to no activities planned during the weekends, there is always something exciting and fun happening around campus during the school week. However, this makes no difference to UMBC’s socially-lacking stereotype if students are not attending these events in large numbers.

Student organizations hold many different events on campus practically every day. Many of these events take place on the swath of land behind the Commons, commonly known as “the Quad.”

On college campuses, the Quad is traditionally somewhere near the center of campus and is where numerous events take place. However, UMBC’s Quad is small and secluded from many areas of campus. If one is not directly in that area, it is often difficult to hear or see the events that are going on.

In order to increase student participation at these events, UMBC should relocate them onto the more spacious and open Erickson field.

Students who live in the dorms and in apartment communities walk by Erickson field multiple times throughout the day. Whether they are going to classes or heading over to the Commons, students are constantly walking near this much more central area of campus.

Angelina Zater, a freshman biology major, agrees that Erickson field would be a better location for campus happenings. She states, “Erickson field is bigger and more open. It’s easier to hear and see what’s going on there when you’re walking around campus.”

Matt Eastman, a freshman computer science major, noted that the library is also right by Erickson field, so “while people are studying they might look outside and say ‘Oh, there’s an event going on’ and decide to go to it.”

While some might argue that the steep slopes surrounding some parts of the field might make it difficult to get equipment for the programs onto the space, there is plenty of street-level access on the east side of the field.

Lack of appropriate space has been a nagging issue at various UMBC events held on the quad. Zater said “[she] felt claustrophobic during Involvement Fest on the quad” and that it “was hard to get around.” She said the Homecoming bonfire held on Erickson field felt “way less cramped and allowed way more people to attend.”

In order to increase student participation in school events and foster more school spirit, UMBC should make it easier and more convenient for students to attend the events that student organizations work tirelessly to organize. Considering that the Quad’s location on campus is not only secluded, but also cramped, Erickson field is the best replacement option for school events.

The post Erickson field versus the Quad: the bigger, the better appeared first on The Retriever.