Business Students Connect During SouthCoast Entrepreneur Week [TOWNSQUARE SUNDAY]

Students from the Charlton College of Business at UMass Dartmouth will be learning more about the world of business next week during SouthCoast Entrepreneur Week.

The students will be taking part in activities throughout the region that will focus on the strength and power of small businesses in our area.

Dr. Catherine Curran is head of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Charlton College. She talked with us on Townsquare Sunday this week about some of the activities planned and why entrepreneurship is important.

"An entrepreneur is someone who has an idea, and takes the initiative to build a business around that idea," Curran said. "It's a person who has the drive to succeed, and confidence in their own abilities to be successful."

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Student activities will start on Monday in Newport where they will observe a Shark Tank-like experience involving marine entrepreneurs making their pitch to a panel of investors. They will also attend a forum on the "Blue Economy."

On Wednesday in Fall River, students will be visiting a soon-to-be open co-working space called Groundworks on Durfee Street. At 5 p.m., students will be taking part in a meet-the-makers program, hosted by Viva Fall River.

On Thursday, the spotlight turns to New Bedford and the National Park Visitors Center for the unveiling of a new mobile app that points the way to local eateries and historic sites in Downtown New Bedford.

Later in the day, there will be a virtual event geared for high school students who will hear from two UMass Dartmouth alumni on the business of art and making a living as an artist. The event will be held at the Dream Out Studio downtown.

Dr. Curran operated her own small business for 15 years before selling it. She tells her students the reward was worth the risk.

"It's the most rewarding, frustrating, challenging, but ultimately best experience of your life," she said. "As long as you have good support, people in the community and family to help you face the challenges, it's well worth the risk to go out and see what the world has for you."

The complete Townsquare Sunday interview with Dr. Catherine Curran of the Charlton College of Business at UMass Dartmouth can be heard here:

Townsquare Sunday is a weekly public affairs program heard on Sunday morning at 6 on 1420 AM and 99.5 FM.

The program highlights individuals and organizations seeking to improve the quality of life in Greater New Bedford.

If you would like your organization featured on Townsquare Sunday, please e-mail the host at jim.phillips@townsquaremedia.com.