DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Students at Bethune-Cookman University will now have access to a brand-new business center on campus.

What You Need To Know

  • A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Friday afternoon for the inauguration of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) at Bethune-Cookman University

  • The center will house the “Equipping Entrepreneurs for Success” program – an initiative aimed at fostering a community of innovators and creators for the benefit of private and public sector entities across Volusia County and other areas of Florida

  • Since the fall, students have been meeting with faculty mentors and JPMorgan Chase leaders on a weekly basis, learning how to launch new ventures and incorporate AI tools to scale a business

  • In order to apply for the programs at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, students will need to keep a good academic standing, and submit their resume and letters of interest

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Friday afternoon for the inauguration of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED).

“We’re so excited so everybody can see what it used to look like and what it is now,” Program Director Dr. Eboni Rainey-Haynes said.

The center will house the “Equipping Entrepreneurs for Success” program. It is an initiative aimed at fostering a community of innovators and creators for the benefit of private and public sector entities across Volusia County and other areas of Florida.

“It’s important because they get the opportunity to build relationships and partnership not only with their classmates but their professors. And others such as JPMorgan Chase have come to witness them do this. They can build that relationship. They can take something outside of just the educational piece,” Rainey-Haynes said.

BCU business students had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to executives from JPMorgan Chase’s Central Florida leadership team and get feedback from them.

“Our pitch was about cross-gen AI, so we know AI can be a little intimidating to the people who aren’t used to it,” freshman Enock Oscar said. He was one of several students who presented their business ideas.

“The feedback was positive, and I got told that we just need to remember that AI is a tool and humans are what create AI. We don’t need AI, AI needs us,” Oscar said.

Since the fall, students have been meeting with faculty mentors and JPMorgan Chase leaders on a weekly basis, learning how to launch new ventures and incorporate AI tools to scale a business, such as raising the capital needed to get it started.

Oscar said he is excited to have this opportunity at an early stage of his career.

“Being from Miami and being a kid of my skin color, we’re not really told that there’s another way out. It’s typically you start rapping, start playing basketball, you start becoming a content creator, and it’s nothing wrong with those options. But being told that we have another way out is so phenomenal and is so important to me,” Oscar said.

In order to apply for the programs at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, students will need to keep a good academic standing and submit their resume and letters of interest.