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Oxford, Mississippi – The University of Mississippi’s Mississippi Small Business Development Center supports small business owners and budding entrepreneurs statewide through a system of virtual access centers.
The Mississippi SBDC partnered with regional banks and Mississippi Community Colleges to establish 27 VACs through its Rural Development Initiative. Each location was strategically chosen to reach every corner of the state.
Mississippi SBDC State Director Sharon Nichols said:
The center provides a private area with a secure Internet connection for individuals to connect to the Mississippi SBDC network and receive one-on-one business counseling.
“This one-on-one access allows our clients to ask questions in a safe and private space and get answers instantly, as these discussions often involve financial issues and fundraising. ,” said Nichols. Clients can also attend online business workshops and meet with other business her resources. ”
This project is supported by a $409,112 distance learning and telemedicine grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program helps rural communities use advanced telecommunications technology to overcome the effects of isolation due to remoteness and low population density.
Additional support for the project came from the Community Foundation, an Alabama-based nonprofit funded primarily by community banks that help invest in the community. The foundation offered him a $75,000 fundraising match.
To date, 10 virtual centers have been established. The space has a 55-inch touchscreen Microsoft Surface Hub, many of which can be moved for your convenience. The Mississippi SBDC aims to have all centers operational by March.
Matt Smith, Information Technology Specialist at SBDC, Mississippi, said: “These allow us to interact with our clients efficiently and securely in a location closest to them.
“This partnership with community colleges across the state is important because of our fast, reliable internet connections and our presence in many rural areas.”
Ben Shapley, Vice Chancellor of Satellite Campuses at Northeast Mississippi Community College and director of the Ripley Campus, said the virtual center will help campuses better serve their communities and “have the dream of starting their own business.” He said that he will be able to “support those who are
NEMCC has centers on the main campus in Booneville and on the Ripley and Corinth campuses.
“We are Northeast Mississippi Community College. We are community-focused,” said Shapley, who has a history of working with the Mississippi SBDC as director of workforce training at NEMCC. “Our mission is to partner and work with the communities we serve in all areas of employee training and economic development.
“The fact that we can offer this kind of service with SBDC is great for us, so we are definitely very excited about this partnership.”
To inquire about using the Virtual Access Center, visit the Mississippi SBDC website and click the red[Scheduling Counseling]Click the button.
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