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Salus University Awards Medal of Honor to University President

By Salus University

April 2019

Elkins Park, Pa. – It takes a special community to ensure that Salus University continues to be a leader in health science education, just like its founding College, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), set out to do 100 years ago. That’s why on Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Science History Institute, 10 individuals will be awarded the first-ever Salus University Presidential Medals of Honor to commemorate an important milestone: 10 years of the establishment of Salus University.

The award ceremony will be part of a larger centennial celebration of PCO. The new recipients for the medals were nominated by the University’s Centennial Committee. Each recipient was chosen for their significant contributions to their profession and/or for their service to the institution.

Among those to receive the first-ever Salus University Presidential Medals of Honor is Michael H. Mittelman, OD, MPH, FAAO, FACHE, Salus University president.

“The Salus Board is thrilled that Dr. Mittelman is being recognized for his achievements at PCO, Salus as well as being an ‘ambassador’ for the school while serving in the Navy,” said Jo Surpin, Salus University Board Chair. “As president he has provided the leadership necessary to continue the transition from PCO to Salus University while preserving our legacy.”

Dr. Michael H. Mittelman served with distinction for more than three decades in the United States Navy in a succession of increasingly responsible, mission-critical command positions, and achieving the rank of Rear Admiral (Upper Half) and serving as Deputy Surgeon General. He was a trailblazer for optometry in the military as the first Navy aerospace optometrist, the first optometrist to command a major naval hospital; the first and only clinician to lead the Navy Medical Service Corps; the first non-medical doctor to serve as a combatant command surgeon in the U.S. Pacific Command; and the first non-medical doctor to serve as the command surgeon for the U.S. Joint Forces.

After 33 years, Dr. Mittelman retired from the U.S. Navy, a Rear Admiral and former Deputy Surgeon General, and returned to his alma mater to become Salus University’s sixth president in 2013. Dr. Mittelman is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the AAO. He is a past recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the AOA and of the Armed Forces Optometric Society’s Orion Award.

The full list of the awardees and their bios can be found on the University’s Centennial website: salus.edu/centennial.

About Salus University Salus University, founded as the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1919, today is a diversified, globally recognized professional academic center of learning that offers a wide range of degree programs in the professions of Optometry, Audiology, Physician Assistant, Public Health, Blindness and Low Vision Studies, Biomedicine, Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology. Salus operates four clinical facilities in Philadelphia and Montgomery counties that provide highly specialized vision, hearing and balance, and speech-language pathology services. The University has more than 1,200 students and more than 14,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, please visit www.salus.edu.

A Hub for Medical Innovation

By staff writer

February 2019

There are certain aspects of a community that will always prove to be true. One such truth is when you have an area like Tampa Bay that is home to nearly 3 million people, and that number is steadily increasing year after year, there is inevitably going to be a need for more medical care. With that comes an increased emphasis on medical education. So how is Tampa handling this increased demand? The simple answer is: innovation.

Tampa is home to a number of highly praised and widely recognized medical institutions, and one of these institutions is Ultimate Medical Academy. The academy is using innovative methods for its online school to better equip those students who might not have the flexibility in their lives to go to an actual campus. Invest: Tampa Bay recently sat down with the school’s president, Derek Apanovitch, to discuss how they are best supporting their medical students.

“It has been a good year at Ultimate Medical Academy,” Apanovitch told Invest:. “We reached 15,000 students nationwide, and we have more than 45,000 graduates across the country. We also received four more years of accreditation from the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

“We have what we call learner-services advisors who are assigned to individual students on their first day of class and stay with them through the duration of their program to help keep them on track,” Apanovitch continued. “One of the obvious challenges of running an online learning environment is that you don’t have students in front of you. We try to reaffirm that human element through constant interaction with our students, many of whom are single moms who are juggling part-time jobs and child care, so it’s important that someone is always available to help them. Faculty and the student support center employees are always on hand. That’s integral to the success of our students.”

Online institutions like Ultimate Medical Academy are proving successful because of their accessibility. This idea of accessibility has also been adopted by Tampa’s hospitals, making it so their patients have access to the items they need without having to go out of their way to procure them.

Invest: Tampa recently spoke with Tampa General Hospital’s CEO and president, John Couris, to discuss how they are leveraging innovative technologies to improve patient experience.

“We use a system called Epic for our electronic medical records (EMRs), and arguably it’s one of the best EMRs in the world,” Couris said. “It has improved access to clinical information exponentially for patients. Patients can access test results. They can communicate and message their doctors. They can make appointments. They can fill prescriptions. They have a to-do list for healthcare and tracking. They have a healthcare summary. They can see and pay their bills. They can do an e-visit, and they can share their records with any other Epic institution in the world. Not every institution has that kind of technology and infrastructure. We have it, and we’re continuing to get better at it.”

Innovation is not a new concept, but it is one that is necessary for Tampa Bay’s continued success in the medical field. As long as medical professionals and institutions continue to innovate, Tampa Bay will continue to be at the forefront of Florida’s medical community!

To learn more about our interviewees, visit their websites:
Ultimate Medical Academy: https://www.ultimatemedical.edu/
Tampa General Hospital: https://www.tgh.org/

The Talent Struggle

By staff writer

February 2019

Philadelphia is a city filled with diverse and creative talent, yet many of its businesses — like those across the country — cite the inability to attract and retain a high-quality younger workforce as one of their greatest struggles. Unemployment is low (4.8 percent in Philadelphia and just 3.7 percent nationwide), competition is high and turnover is expensive. Job seekers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to choosing a job and employer, and often they want to know about more than just salary and benefits before accepting a new position.

Our team at Invest: Philadelphia spoke with local leaders across a number of industries about innovative strategies for finding and keeping top talent in a tight labor market and the benefits Philadelphia has to offer its workforce. Here’s what they had to say:

“Employers that we are talking to in the region are working with an aging workforce. Baby boomers are no longer the largest generation in the workforce; it is now millennials. The speed of innovation is multiplying, and to keep up with trends and growth opportunities, employers have to focus on young talent. Because the generation after the millennials is smaller, there is more competition for them. We are already seeing that. Students these days are very savvy and know exactly what kind of employer they want and what kind of work they want. In order to be the employer of choice for this talent, employers are going to have to build relationships with this talent pool earlier.”

— Deborah Diamond, President, Campus Philly

“Overall, Philadelphia is a strong market. Life sciences and real estate are huge industries in the area, and businesses in these industries are investing more in their companies. These investments take the form of physical capital, improvements to buildings or machinery and technological innovations that streamline processes. These organizations have also been investing in their employees to boost retention. This emphasis on employee empowerment is beneficial for millennials whose work ethic is driven by social impact and purpose. It is important for them to understand how their work relates to their communities. Companies that spend the time empowering their employees will ultimately strengthen Philadelphia’s workforce.”

— Denise McKnight, Partner, Friedman LLP

“Philadelphia is an attractive market for people living and working here because you can have a work-life balance. There are high quality professional sports teams, engaging arts and cultural venues, great restaurants and a wonderful mix of history, tradition and modern energy. You can have a challenging and exciting career without being required to work 100 hours a week or spend all of your time commuting. Philadelphia offers an attractive and fulfilling lifestyle.”

— John Kirwin, Founding Partner and CEO, Argosy Capital

 

For more information on our interviewees, visit their websites:

Campus Philly: https://campusphilly.org/

Friedman LLP: https://www.friedmanllp.com/

Argosy Capital: http://www.argosycapital.com/

 

Workforce Development for the Future

By Ian Leigh

February 2019

Photo credit: Tampa Bay Times.

Although Governor Ron DeSantis has asked for Florida’s education commissioner, Richard Corcoran, to help him secure $36 million from the legislature for workforce programs, with an emphasis on computer science classes, several Tampa Bay area college presidents say there are market opportunities in the arts and creative fields as well.

Governor DeSantis, at a recent Tampa press conference, asked for more dollar investment in vocational and technical training, with a special emphasis on computer knowledge. To stress that initiative, he signed an executive order asking for an audit by the Department of Education to learn more about its career and technical education programs. He said he wants to prepare more people for practical market entry.

The goal is to raise Florida from number 24 nationally in vocational training to number 1 by 2030. As part of this effort, he is asking the legislature to put $10 million into programs that will permit teachers to earn computer science certificates. He hopes the end result will be more qualified faculty in this field.

Governor DeSantis also asked for another $26 million for more workforce programs within the state college system and more investment to seed workforce apprenticeships. Several Tampa Bay area college presidents say that there are also alternative opportunities in the arts and other fields — in everything from mental health counseling to the creative arts.

Larry Thompson, president of Ringling College, told our Invest: Tampa Bay team that there are myriad creative paths for students. “Historically, education has focused on the left side of the brain (the logical, analytical and sequential thinking), but with the dawn of AI, the development of the right side of the brain (the creative, holistic and intuitive thinking) will become even more critical. That’s where the future lies; it’s going to become fuel for all industries, the oil of the future.”

Ringling College, based in Sarasota, offers classes in the business of art and design and other creative disciplines.

Jeff Day, president of Argosy University, noted there are new opportunities in the market. “Due to what’s happening in our society right now, clinical mental health counseling is a really booming occupational field,” he told Invest:. “There’s such a growing need for mental health counsellors and clinical psychologists, and even our school psychology program, that we’ve expanded our programs and are seeing more students.”

Governor DeSantis stressed the need for practical education during his press conference. “Florida has many students unprepared for college and workforce success,” he said, “limiting both their career and opportunities, as well as employers’ ability to grow their business.”

Jeffrey Senese, president of St. Leo University, emphasized his belief in internships and practical readiness for work upon entry into the workforce. “Internships are crucial, as are the practical projects in the classroom. We try to ensure both so our students are career-ready upon graduating,” he told Invest:.

A feature for the school is that its faculty members have field experience in addition to academic knowledge. Senese cited the real-world seniority of instructors in his school’s criminal justice department. “The same goes for the business, arts and science, social work and education departments — they’re practitioners; that’s an important part of our model.”

It’s clear that Florida’s leaders recognize the importance of training the state’s future workforce and preparing them to be productive members of a constantly changing economy. Whether it’s technical and computer science training or honing creative and communication skills, Tampa Bay’s educational institutions are rising to the challenge.

For more information on our interviewees, visit their websites:
Argosy University: https://www.argosy.edu
Ringling College: https://www.ringling.edu
St. Leo University: https://www.saintleo.edu

MontCo Is the Way to Go

By staff writer

February 2019

Student debt and the growing cost of education are topics of discussion across the country. In the Greater Philadelphia region, these concerns affect the hundreds of thousands of students who pursue their education in the City of Brotherly Love and its surrounding suburbs. Students and parents alike are looking for ways to minimize debt while maximizing education and experience. At the same time, colleges and universities are looking for ways to cut costs and increase enrollment while continuing to support the local economy.

Many students are choosing to attend community college, either to pursue an associate’s degree or to begin their education at a lower cost before transferring to a four-year institution. While community college once held a stigma, that perception is quickly shifting as more and more students recognize the value of the programs offered at these institutions. Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), located in Blue Bell in Montgomery County, PA, has been educating students since 1964. It has an enrollment of almost 13,000 students seeking education in programs like business, health, engineering, social services and more.

“One of the areas we are focusing on is workforce development to address the needs of the businesses in Montgomery County, as well as surrounding counties,” Dr. Kevin Pollock, president of MCCC, told Invest: Philadelphia when he sat down with our team. “We work closely with employers to develop customized training programs that have value in the workplace today and in the future. Through our training programs, businesses gain a skilled, knowledgeable workforce and a competitive advantage in the workplace.”

With a tuition that comes in significantly lower than many of the surrounding options, especially for in-county students, MCCC proves to be a smart economic choice for students of all ages and backgrounds. The college has programs for every type of student, from those looking to continue their educations to high schools students looking to get a jumpstart on their postsecondary degrees.

“We offer dual enrollment for high school students.” Pollock told Invest:. “This program allows high school students to earn college credits while still in high school. Students are able to challenge themselves with college-level courses and gain credits that can then be used toward completion of their associate’s degree here or transferred to a four-year institution.”

As education costs continue to grow, community colleges in the area are standing out for their lower price tags and exceptional programming. Whether a student wants to immediately enter the workforce or seamlessly transfer into a four-year institution, Montgomery County Community College is paving the way for students to meet their goals.

And that’s not the only benefit MCCC provides to the community; it is also a significant economic driver for the county. According to a recent study, MCCC students earn $6 more per hour for every dollar they invest in their education. From 2009 to 2010, these higher earnings and the related increased business output contributed an additional $362.4 million to the regional economy. Taxpayers also see a 7.2 percent return on their investment in MCCC.

Rising costs and accessibility will continue to pose challenges to higher education across the country, but community colleges are stepping in to provide cost-effective and quality alternatives to students while also serving as important economic engines for their local economies.

For more information on our interviewee, visit https://www.mc3.edu/.

Philadelphia’s Diversified Economy Highlighted at the Launch of Invest: Philadelphia 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 14, 2019

City of Philadelphia Director of Commerce Harold Epps will give the keynote address at the launch of Capital Analytics’ first publication focusing on Greater Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, PA – Greater Philadelphia’s robust healthcare industry, historically strong higher education sector and focus on innovation are just some of the focal points in the first edition of Invest: Philadelphia from Capital Analytics. The 2019 edition highlights the five-county region of Greater Philadelphia, including Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware and Chester counties, with special focus chapters on the City of Chester and the dynamic neighborhoods in the City of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia’s housing market is one of the hottest in the country, and the region’s real estate industry is attracting increased interest from investors both domestically and abroad, particularly in the multifamily space. Utilities and infrastructure are covered in detail as the city looks to alternative sources of energy to sustainably grow and develop. Transportation is a hot topic, with the Philadelphia International Airport continuing to expand its reach and SEPTA making improvements to help keep counties connected via extensive bus and train routes. The Invest: Philadelphia publication from Capital Analytics is a 208-page economic analysis that highlights business opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and innovators alike looking to Philadelphia for opportunities.

The official launch of the publication will take place on January 24, 2019, at the Loews Hotel. Following a short networking breakfast, Harold Epps, Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia, will give a keynote address that underscores some of the major achievements of Philadelphia’s economy over the past 12 months. This will be followed by three robust panel discussions.

The panels will address major themes currently dominating Philadelphia’s economy: education, healthcare and innovation. The “Healing the Community: Healthcare in Philadelphia” panel will be moderated by Susanne Svizeny of Wells Fargo. Panelists will be Dr. Jay Feldstein of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Jack Lynch of Main Line Health, Dr. Larry Kaiser of Temple University Health System and Ray Williams of DLA Piper. The “World Class Minds: Education in Philadelphia” panelists will be Craig Carnaroli of University of Pennsylvania, Guy Generals of Community College of Philadelphia and Michael Mittelman of Salus University. The “On the Cutting Edge: Innovation in Philadelphia” panel will be moderated by Mathieu Shapiro of Obermayer, and panelists will be Dan Hilferty of Independence Blue Cross, Tricia Marts of Veolia, Atif Ghauri of MAZARS and John Giordano of Archer Law.

The event will be attended by hundreds of high-level guests and officials from some of Philadelphia’s key industries and economic institutions.

“Invest: Philadelphia is Capital Analytics’ first foray into the Northeast,” said Abby Melone, president of Capital Analytics. “After resounding success in South Florida and Georgia, we wanted to expand up the coast to the hidden gem of the Northeast. Philadelphia is increasing its global visibility, and we wanted help the city capitalize on that. As the most affordable major city in the Northeast corridor, Philadelphia has a great deal to offer people of all ages, from students to young professionals and from entrepreneurs to capital investors. We are excited to be a part of Philadelphia’s journey.”

 

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About Invest: Philadelphia

Invest: Philadelphia is an in-depth economic review of the key issues facing Greater Philadelphia’s economy featuring the exclusive insights of prominent industry leaders. Invest: Philadelphia is produced with two goals in mind: 1) to provide comprehensive investment knowledge on Philadelphia to local, national and international investors, and 2) to promote Philadelphia as a place to invest and do business.

The book conducts a deep dive of the top economic sectors in the county including real estate, construction, utilities and infrastructure, transportation and aviation, banking and finance, legal, healthcare, life sciences, education, sports, and arts culture and tourism. The publication is compiled from insights collected from more than 200 economic leaders, sector insiders, political leaders and heads of important institutions. It analyzes the leading challenges facing the market, as well as covers emerging opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and innovators.

For more information, contact us at: contact@capitalaa.com

 

 

Dynamic Offerings

By staff writer

January 2019 — 2 min. read

Miami’s higher education system is as dynamic as the city itself, and the University of Miami Business School is no exception. The school’s enrollment rate shot up 12 percent last year, and with that growth has come revamped curricula and new degree program offerings catering to international students, future sustainability officers and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Given that the school is the only higher education institution in the country that offers a Spanish-language Global Executive MBA program, which is designed for professionals with experience in the field, it should come as no surprise that the school is appealing to international professionals and their families looking to further integrate themselves within the local business ecosystem.

 

“Many high-net-worth individuals including family business leaders from throughout the Americas have second homes in Miami,” Miami Business School Dean John Quelch told Invest: Miami when he sat down with our team. “For those working here already, we offer our new part-time Professional MS in Finance as well as our Professional MBA. We are offering students multiple ways to earn high-quality specialist or general management Masters degrees faster, better and cheaper.”

Quelch pointed to the city’s “growing entrepreneurial spirit” as a key driver of the school’s growth, and the school is wasting no time in following suit with this trend.

“We are much more integrated into the Miami entrepreneurship ecosystem than we were one or two years ago,” Quelch explained. “We have made significant upgrades to our business plan and hope to soon launch a Canes Angel fund that will be directed at startups involving our students and alumni. We’re also upgrading our entrepreneurship curricula to include more experiential learning and case-based teaching.”

Quelch added that the school expects to open a center for entrepreneurship by 2020, if funding is forthcoming. Furthermore, the school will be starting its STEM-certified Master of Science in Sustainable Business degree program next August, which according to Quelch will be “the first STEM-certified M.S. in sustainable business degree in the country.”

The program will integrate climate science, law, engineering and public policy into its teachings of business sustainability and will train graduates for careers in industries such as energy, manufacturing and healthcare. Its establishment speaks to the school’s commitment to ensuring long-term success for its students in the local market, as well as its and its ability to satisfy the demands of the city’s dynamic business landscape.

To learn more about our interviewee, as well as new developments and course offerings from Miami Business School, visit https://www.bus.miami.edu/.

 

 

Educating Atlanta’s Future Leaders

By contributing writer Kelly Bolhofner
August 2018 – 2 min. read

Atlanta has always been known for its innovative growth (most recently in the fintech industry), quality universities and corporate infrastructure. While the city is home to several post-secondary schools, it has not always had strong K-12 programs to prepare its students to attend those universities. With a goal of providing the city with a solid foundation of future leaders, early educators and innovators started independent schools they hoped would inspire creativity and a strong desire for learning. Today, Atlanta boasts 135 of the 869 private schools in Georgia (15.5 percent), with 30,685 of the total 155,925 students statewide attending private schools (19.6 percent).   

The cost of a private education in Atlanta averages $12,253 for elementary and $16,555 for high school, compared to the national average of $10,413. While this is comparable to the cost of a post-secondary education, recently state lawmakers have been looking at legislation that will shift money from public education over to private education, allowing more students to access the benefits of an independent school experience.

 

 

House Bill 664 will change the way parents use their 529 savings plans, letting them apply it to secondary education as well as post-secondary schooling. House Bill 217 is a tax credit voucher program that will raise the annual limit on tax credits for student scholarship organizations. Another bill that was voted on and lost but could come up again in revised form is House Bill 482, which is essentially an expanded voucher program.

Focus: Atlanta sat down with Keith Evans, president of the Westminster Schools, earlier this year to talk about the kind of education students can expect to receive from Westminster. “We attract students who want to blend intellectual, athletic and artistic talent with a desire to serve a purpose larger than themselves and make an impact on the world,” Evans told Focus:. “That has been our mission and our calling card from the beginning. If you look around Atlanta, there’s a lot of Westminster DNA in both the historical growth of the city as well as the interesting things that are happening today.” He added that “Westminster has fully launched a number of innovative, educational experiences for our students. Prominent among these is a three-week program called Jan Term; all of our Upper School students participate. ” The school also offers a summer program called Running Through History, which allows students to run cross-country through Europe while learning the history of World War II.  

Stuart Gulley, president of Woodward Academy, shared with Focus: the things that set Woodward apart from other schools. “We are the oldest and the largest independent school in the continental U.S.,” he said. He pointed out that the school values diversity: “We have a deep respect for difference. That’s reflected in every difference imaginable, not just race, ethnicity or religion.” While offering the same co-curricular opportunities as other private schools, Woodward Academy faces challenges with the current traffic and infrastructure. Efforts of the new Atlanta Aerotropolis Alliance in creating a seamlessly connected “airport city” will hopefully help to mitigate those issues.

Private education offers students a chance to learn in more creative ways and teachers a chance to teach using their own styles. Parents are more engaged and involved in the students’ education, and graduation rates are significantly higher. Both Westminster and Woodward have an acceptance rate of about 25 percent, keeping the average class size to about 16 students with a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio. This provides an opportunity for more one-on-one teaching.  

As Evans told Focus:, “The City of Atlanta itself and the metro area have about as wide a range of educational options as you can imagine. What distinguishes Atlanta in terms of educational choices is that the schools here tend to be focused on their unique mission and philosophy and serving a particular kind of student. Schools in Atlanta have done a good job of defining their purpose: what place they want to occupy in the ecosystem and who they’re here to serve.”

Atlanta has come a long way from its early days and today boasts not only some of the finest private schools but also 98 public learning sites, two single-sex institutions and 17 charter schools that are improving under the current leadership. With so many top-quality choices, Atlanta is leading the charge in educating the next generation of innovators and leaders.

For more information on our interviewees, visit their websites:
Westminster Schools: https://www.westminster.net/
Woodward Academy: https://www.woodward.edu/

Much Love for Entrepreneurship in the City of Brotherly Love

By contributing writer Sean O’Toole
July 2018 – 2 min. read

This is not your parents’ economy. Over the last 20 years, the labor market has evolved to demand efficiency and innovation as prerequisites for success. Even individuals entering traditionally “safe” professions need to adopt the entrepreneur’s bold, proactive approach to career development. Many colleges and universities have recognized this trend and have started to offer entrepreneurial degree programs. Two Philadelphia-area schools, in particular, are on the cutting edge of this new educational and professional movement: Drexel University and La Salle University.

Philadelphia has always been an incubator for entrepreneurship. The city’s icon, Benjamin Franklin, was a renowned inventor and innovator credited with the establishment of the city’s first firehouse, post office and library. Philadelphia is also where many of our country’s earliest and brightest entrepreneurs came together to develop one of history’s most exciting and daring enterprises: the United States of America. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the city continues to produce adventurous professionals with the help of Drexel’s Close School of Entrepreneurship and La Salle’s Center for Entrepreneurship.

 

 

Donna De Carolis, the Silverman Family Professor for Entrepreneurial Leadership and dean of Drexel’s Close School, is especially excited about the opportunities for young entrepreneurs in the city. “Philadelphia offers tremendous opportunity,” De Carolis told Invest: Philadelphia when she sat down with our team earlier this year. “Whether in med tech, ed tech or other markets, there are opportunities for new and emerging companies and ideas.”

It is the presence of this kind of opportunity in Philadelphia that makes an entrepreneurial degree from Drexel so valuable. “The need for efficiency and speed is changing the way companies are structuring and doing business. We want to help prepare our students for this job market,” De Carolis said. “By offering this degree, as well as classes to students with other degrees, we are preparing our students for the job market they will be entering.” Drexel is currently the only school to offer a program like this as a free-standing degree, but other schools are taking notice of its success and will likely follow suit.

Drexel is not Philadelphia’s only trendsetter in entrepreneurial education, however. Steve Melick, executive director of the La Salle Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, spoke about the center’s evolution into a groundbreaking model for experiential learning.

“La Salle is making interesting progress,” Melick told Invest:. “We are beginning to integrate topics in innovation and entrepreneurial thinking into existing, traditional class topics rather than separating entrepreneurship as an independent discipline. In one example we are seeing biology students use their technical understanding to explore new business and market opportunities for commercial research. Prior to this engagement, these same biology students typically have little interest in business or an understanding of connecting the two topics. Through this course they learn the complementary and necessary connection between these disciplines. This is a significant shift but helps to bring greater perspective and broader learning growth to our students.”

As Philadelphia continues to grow and attract investors from an increasing number of industries, there will be a consistent need for a steady influx of enterprising young professionals to tap into the city’s potential. Entrepreneurial programs, like those offered by Drexel University and La Salle University, can help them develop the skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving business world.

For more information on our interviewees, visit their websites:
Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, Drexel University: http://drexel.edu/close/
Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, La Salle University: https://www.lasalle.edu/business/programs/center-for-entrepreneurship/#.W0ieFNhKii4