Case Studies

A New Library Resource for Solving Problems and Pursuing Passions Location: Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee Number of branches: 21 Launch of NPL Means Business: 2021   OVERVIEW: Nashville is booming, and the ripples affect everyone. These include the public library system, which serves the city and surrounding Davidson County. Planners expect the metro area to grow by 140,000 people in the next 20 years, up from 700,000 today. Its residents are predominantly English-speaking, with…

Entrepreneurial Mindset Projects Branch Out from This Colorado District’s STEM Program   Location: Longmont, Colorado Number of schools and programs: 60  Total students: 33,000  High school students in entrepreneurship courses since 2019: 500 High schools served by Innovation Center program: 7   OVERVIEW: St. Vrain Valley School District extends across 411 square miles, from the Continental Divide to the Colorado plains, with a population that’s just as diverse as the landscape. As such, the district’s…

This Oklahoma Program Equips Students with the Confidence and Skills to Pursue Opportunities and Win Awards Location: Ada, Oklahoma Number of students: 3,600 Number of full-time employees: 440 Countries represented on campus: 30 Students who’ve completed Introduction to Entrepreneurship: 600    OVERVIEW: With 17,000 people, the city of Ada is a big destination for students from small towns and rural areas in south-central Oklahoma. For many, the 3,500-member student body is larger than their hometowns.…

The Benefits of Keeping the Ice House Model Running in the Background   Location: Fresno, California Number of employees: 11 Small businesses and entrepreneurs served in 2021: 360 Number of members: 511      OVERVIEW: The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce engages, educates, and empowers small business owners and entrepreneurs of color. They provide technical assistance to start, scale, or restart a business and help them access capital. Some of its programs are very intentional…

Rolling Out a Strategy Everyone Can Agree on to Prepare Students for Today’s World   Main campus location: Calmar, Iowa Total campuses and centers: 12 Affiliated high schools: 13 Total students in Ice House courses: 200-250   OVERVIEW: Across eight counties and 5,000 square miles, Northeast Iowa Community College is the go-to institution for post-secondary and technical education and training. Not surprisingly, given its rural location, it’s a leader in agriculture and animal science. Including…

A Cincinnati Nonprofit Instills a Sense of Usefulness to Help End the Cycle of Poverty   Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Number of employees: 2 Clients served annually: 150-210 Launch of the Ice House curriculum: 2015   OVERVIEW: Cincinnati has a reputation as a powerhouse in terms of Fortune 500 company headquarters, an up-and-coming destination for startups. The metro area also faces ongoing challenges with equity and opportunity for all its residents. The Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative…

Students and Faculty Embrace a ‘Game-Changing’ Mindset   Location: Daytona Beach, Florida Instructional sites: 7 Students enrolled: 22,000 Degree programs: over 100 OVERVIEW: Daytona State College’s comprehensive approach provides access to more than 100 certificate, associate, and bachelor’s degree programs as well as a bevy of post-secondary vocational programs and non-credit continuing education options for skills and credentials. Its student body is extremely diverse, but economic challenges are common; approximately 90 percent of students receive…

Addressing Economic and Educational Challenges Through the Ice House Model Location: Pembroke, NC Pembroke population: 2,852 UNC-Pembroke students: 8,319 Robeson County population: 130,000 Ice House participants since 2018: 1,000 OVERVIEW: The community surrounding the University of North Carolina at Pembroke has a diverse cultural heritage, as reflected in its demographics: 55% Native American, 21% Black, and 17% white. Pembroke is home to the Lumbee Tribe, the largest Native American tribe east of the Mississippi River.…

Shifting the Culture within a Municipal Government Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico City population: 565,000 Number of municipal employees: 5,800 Participants in the Entrepreneurial Mindset Program: 895   OVERVIEW: Albuquerque and its sister community, Rio Rancho, anchor one of the fastest-growing regions in the Southwest. The metro area’s population (916,528 residents in 2020) is diverse, with many Spanish speakers, English speakers, and Native American communities. The region’s largest employers include the U.S. Air Force, Sandia National…