FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2008
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124

Free workshops offered through the MUW Women’s Center for
Entrepreneurship

COLUMBUS, Miss. - Various workshops are being offered for free this
summer at Mississippi University for Women for individuals interested in
starting a business.

The workshops range from buying and selling on the Internet to business
plans and lender proposals, according to Yolanda Cook, assistant
director of the Women's Center for Entrepreneurship (WCE) at MUW.

Cook said any individual who is interested in starting a business
venture or needing a business check-up for a current venture may attend
the workshops as well as contact their office for an individual/small
group counseling appointment.
Pre-registration is encouraged, she added, noting that participation in
the summer workshop series has been good.

“The `Start Your Own Business’ workshop held June 12th filled
quickly, so to accommodate the overflow of interested participants, we
will be have a second session.” The workshop is scheduled for July 10
from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the WCE office on campus in Orr Annex.

Cook said individuals who attend the workshops gain access to
invaluable resources.

“As a business assistance center, the WCE offers help to anyone
needing to write a business plan or locate capital for business
formation or expansion purposes. Reasons vary as to why people wish to
start a business and examples of reasons include: unpredictable economy,
opportunity to supplement income to offset steep rises in gas,
groceries, etc.

“Furthermore, people in the area are recognizing the increase in the
number of industries coming to the Golden Triangle as well as
neighboring communities, so starting a business at this time is good
because there will be more demand for goods and services to be
offered.”

Upcoming sessions include:

Buying & Selling on the Internet
Instructor: Sharon Foster, MUW employee
Date: June 17, 2008
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Place: Orr Annex
Cost: Free

Start Your Own Business
Instructor: Yolanda Cook, assistant director, Women’s Center for
Entrepreneurship
Date: July 10
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Place: Orr Annex
Cost: Free

Business Plan/Lender Proposal
Instructor: Lucy Betcher, director, Women’s Center for
Entrepreneurship
Date: July 17
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Place: Orr Annex
Cost: Free

Financing Your Small Business
Instructor: Lucy Betcher
Date: July 24
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Place: Orr Annex
Cost: Free

The Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship project is funded by a grant
from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). All SBA-funded
projects are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

For more information, call (662) 241-6277 or visit
http://www.muw.edu/wce/events.html.