Lockheed Martin provides $35,000 to support Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, By News Staff

Amy Schmitz
(315) 443-3834

The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, has received a $35,000 gift from Lockheed Martin Corp. in support of the cutting-edge program, which offers training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans with disabilities.

“I want to thank Lockheed Martin for their continued and generous support of the EBV and their acknowledgement of the important work already done by our veterans, and the importance of repaying them for their service to our country,” says Melvin T. Stith, dean of the Whitman School and a former U.S. Army captain. “In the true entrepreneurial spirit, we view Lockheed Martin’s gift as an investment—a tremendous sign of confidence in the future business ventures of the EBV participants.”

The 15-month program—offered by the Whitman School at no cost to veterans with a service-connected disability—includes four weeks of online study, nine days of on-campus course work and 12 months of continued mentoring from EBV faculty, practicing entrepreneurs, bankers, lawyers and other relevant professionals. The goal of the EBV is to put veterans with disabilities on the path to small business ownership. Participants learn to recognize opportunity, write business plans, raise capital and attract customers.

The EBV was first introduced by the Whitman School in 2007. In 2008, the EBV Consortium of Schools—a national partnership with UCLA Anderson School of Management, Florida State University’s College of Business, Mays Business School at Texas A&M and the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University—was launched. All five schools will offer the EBV on their campuses in summer 2009.

“This program would not be possible without the steadfast support of our sponsors, like Lockheed Martin,” says Whitman School assistant professor Mike Haynie, the founder of the program and a former U.S. Air Force major. “These sponsors understand the challenges faced by our service members, and our sponsors are as committed as we are to honoring their sacrifices by helping them build their future careers.”

For more information on the EBV, contract Ellie O’Neill, EBV coordinator, at (315) 443-6007 or egoneill@syr.edu. Media queries can be directed to Amy Schmitz, director of communications at the Whitman School, at (315) 443-3834 or aemehrin@syr.edu.