Paul Jaques, Burgess Institute Director of Community Engagement, and Lori Fischer, Burgess Institute Discovery Program manager, attended the awards showcase in Stockholm.
On Saturday, Michigan State University—represented by the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation—received the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers’ prestigious prize for Outstanding Student Engagement and Leadership.
Competing against globally recognized entrepreneurship centers, Michigan State’s 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.”
The 2019 conference was held Sept. 26–28 in Stockholm, Sweden, and was hosted by the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship. The event focuses on entrepreneurial ecosystems across the globe that support starting and building businesses and harnessing students’ entrepreneurial mindset. GCEC received more than 200 nomination proposals and was attended by more than 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 & Innovation here on Michigan State’s campus. We continue to strive for excellence in serving our students,” she said.
In 2018, both the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University received GCEC’s award for Outstanding Student Engagement and Leadership; MSU and the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship received the award for Outstanding Contributions to Venture Creation.
