Hillman Students Are Integral to Success of Entrepreneur Symposium

On April 18 and 19, the Hillman students helped to make the first Entrepreneur and Small Business Owner Symposium of Montgomery College a huge success! Ed-Love Aidoo, Muriel Fleur Tetegan-Benissan, and Leila Gilbert Rivera played a pivotal role by overseeing communications with the special guests and presenters, leading the effort to collate all participant materials, and serving as presenter assistants and facilitators for twenty-four breakout sessions. As their class schedules allowed, almost half of all other current MC-Hillman students attended workshops, met with local business resource representatives, and networked with a wide variety of small business owners.

Attended by over 70 registered participants and students, the Symposium for the first time brought together a dynamic group of 35 speakers to share information, strategies, and insight on topics as diverse as corporate social responsibility, marketing, starting and building a small business, using local resources, and taking your business to a global level. Highlights included a keynote talk by former Montgomery College Board of Trustee member Michael Priddy, luncheon addresses by the founder of California Tortilla, Pam Felix, and CEO of Operation Hope and financial well-being coach, Sean Chrysostom.  Montgomery County Councilmember, Will Jawando, opened up the second day with an unconditional rally cry for small business development and the important role of Montgomery College in our county.
The Symposium was made possible by a generous grant and support of Guardian Insurance.