Veteran Tiffany S. Mansfield Participates in Oklahoma’s VEP Program

Tiffany S. Mansfield of Virginia recently participated in an entrepreneurial training program at Oklahoma State University aimed at empowering veterans and equipping them with the resources they need to turn their business ideas into workable business models, create companies and make them sustainable.

Tiffany S. Mansfield with Dr. Condoleeza Rice

The Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, known as VEP, is presented by the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship and School of Entrepreneurship in OSU’s Spears School of Business. The entire program, including transportation, accommodation, books, food and instruction, is provided free of charge to participants because of generous support from OSU alumni and supporters. “I believe we owe it to these veterans who have paid such a price in serving their country,” said Michael Morris, head of OSU’s School of Entrepreneurship and program co-creator. “The whole idea is to empower veterans and to show them a path forward that centers on entrepreneurship.”

Tiffany S. Mansfield was one of 29 veterans, and the first Woman Veteran to participate in the first VEP at OSU, which is designed like a military bootcamp. Participants complete an online self-study session, an eight-day on-campus bootcamp and receive a year of mentoring and support from VEP faculty members and the Tulsa Rotary Club. “The 2009-2010 program is really the beginning of a more expansive program we plan to undertake,” said Nola Miyasaki, director of the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship and program co-creator. “The foundation will be laid by this first group as they begin businesses and mentor the classes to come. It will become an even more powerful program for veterans supporting each other.” The Riata Center for Entrepreneurship in the OSU Spears School of Business will offer a diverse portfolio of experiential programs to immerse students in entrepreneurship, as well as outreach programs for entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs across the state.

Together with the OSU Department of Entrepreneurship, the Riata Center seeks to support the development of a vibrant culture of entrepreneurship in Oklahoma, and to create a nationally visible program that also impacts the field of entrepreneurship internationally. Core programs of the Riata Center will support student entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, a cross campus business plan competition, technology based entrepreneurship and commercialization, entrepreneurial interns, entrepreneurs’ bootcamps, a bootcamp for disabled veterans and related initiatives.

Posted by The Cotillion Online on Mar 9 2010. Filed under Announcements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry