Unlocking the Entrepreneurial Potential in Overlooked Communities
March 20, 2025
“The community stagnates without the impulse of the individual; the impulse dies away without the sympathy of the community.” ― William James In every community, untapped entrepreneurial potential lies dormant, waiting to be unleashed. Yet, the communities that stand to benefit most often lack the tools, training, and support required to unlock that potential. We all know that entrepreneurial activity is essential for creating vibrant, equitable, and sustainable communities. Economic…
Read more
Is AI The Great Reformation for Higher Education?
March 10, 2025
In the 16th century, Martin Luther’s Reformation challenged the authority of the Catholic Church, which had long controlled access to knowledge and spiritual guidance. Priests acted as intermediaries, interpreting the Bible—written in Latin, a language inaccessible to most people. Luther’s insistence on translating scripture into common languages and advocating for direct access to religious texts democratized knowledge, removing institutional barriers and empowering individuals to seek understanding on their own. The printing press amplified these…
Read more
Dreams for the New School Year – Choosing Persistence
August 5, 2024
I really love sports. Sports brings out the best in us. Teamwork, communication, dedication, persistence, and excellence become the norm when you play them. Dealing with failure and overcoming increasing challenges are just part of the experience. The valuable lessons that are taught stick with you over time, especially those related to choosing persistence. What a summer it has been for sporting events. For a sports lover like me, this summer has been a…
Read more
Seventy-Five Summers
July 3, 2024
Talk to anyone in my family, and they’ll tell you that I’m wild about the 4th of July. Not in a decorate the house in bunting kind of way, but in being part of the quintessential American Independence Day celebration. I have lots of options in my hometown since both Williamsburg and Yorktown, Virginia, hold huge fireworks displays attended by tens of thousands each year. One in the colonial capital and one on the…
Read more
Life Lessons from Leading Girl Scouts at NextGen Workshops in North Carolina
May 9, 2024
Setting the stage When Christina Williams-Debrew signed on to facilitate a new series of one-day workshops for young women, she went in with plenty of entrepreneurial mindset knowledge thanks to her certification as an Entrepreneurial Mindset Program facilitator. She was familiar with one of the organizers, NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting North Carolinians in achieving their entrepreneurial ambitions to start and grow high-potential companies, but she had less background with the other,…
Read more