IOWA LAKES STUDENTS TO ATTEND ENTREPRENEURIAL INSTITUTE

 Four students from Iowa Lakes Community College will participate in the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute in early August.  This is the third year for the institute and second time Iowa Lakes students have participated.

Tony Brownell, Emmetsburg, and Mikel Jones, Emmetsburg, are sophomores in the Pre-Business program; Stephanie Steburg-Hubrich, Algona, is a freshman in the Sales and Marketing program; Whitney Van Roekel, Estherville, is a summer graduate in the Sales and Marketing program; are the students who went through a screening process and were selected to attend the institute.

The conference will be in the Iowa Great Lakes August 3-8 at Iowa Lakeside Lab.  Participants attend educational topics on entrepreneurship and work in teams to complete a computer simulation to start a company.  Attendees also have a chance to network with some of northwest Iowa’s finest entrepreneurs as well as earn three college credits.

Brownwell is looking forward to the experience and the knowledge he will gain.  “I hope to gain contacts, experience, knowledge and (have) a (good) time,” Brownwell states.

Jones learned about the institute through his accounting instructor.  The experience will “help me out in the future when looking for a job or (in) starting my own business,” says Jones.

Steburg-Hubrich is looking forward to the challenges the conference will bring her.  She feels this conference will give her “information on where to go to get somewhere in business… and information on starting a brand line,” says Steburg-Hubrich.

The conference for Van Roekel will be an experience of a lifetime.  “I am very excited to meet some amazing people with great knowledge.  I’m sure this experience will prove to be very important to my overall college experience,” explains Van Roekel.

In addition to the Iowa Lakes students, two faculty members will attend.  Lecia Berven, Accounting Specialist Associate Professor; and Denise Reimer, Marketing Professor; will assist at the opening sessions and also lead a class on networking strategies.

The Okoboji Institute is a cooperative effort of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, the Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and University of Northern Iowa as well as the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, Iowa Lakeside Lab, Buena Vista University and Iowa Lakes Community College. 

Whitney Van Roekel		Mikel Jones		Stephanie Steburg-Hubrich		Tony Brownell