Adams Entrepreneur Fellowship at Walsh College
Graduate Student John Shepherd Receives Adams Entrepreneurial Fellowship
Troy, Mich., January 29, 2010 – Walsh College graduate student John Shepherd has been selected for the Adams Entrepreneurial Fellowship, made possible by a 2008-2009 grant of $82,660 from The Ann and Carman Adams Fund of The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM). He received a Bachelor of Business Adminsitration in Marketing from Walsh College in 2008 and is studying toward a Master of Management degree this fall.
The Fellowship, first offered in 2004, is designed to develop the entrepreneurial skills of promising business students or alumni by matching them with local entrepreneurs for one year. Adams Fellows also receive partial tuition assistance. The Fellowship recognizes the business success of the late husband of M. Ann Adams, whose estate established a permanent endowment with CFSEM.
Shepherd, originally from and residing in Attica, Mich., will be project administrator for a series of small business assistance initiatives. These include the Walsh Business Leadership Institute Small Business Makeovers and “Take Off With Troy”, a new program to help small businesses.
"Take Off With Troy" is a partnership between Walsh College, the City of Troy, and Troy Chamber of Commerce. The program will offer the expertise of professional teams, called the “Flight Crew” – attorneys, accountants, bankers, marketers, and others – who will conduct assessments and provide recommendations for Troy-based small business. Shepherd will oversee the partnership between those companies and the “Flight Crew.”
“This is an exciting opportunity for me. I will be helping other small businesses while learning from the sponsors and partners of the initiatives,” Shepherd says.
During the yearlong Fellowship, Shepherd will receive faculty guidance from Michelle Lange, director of The Panthera Project and adjunct professor of Marketing. For the past ten years, Shepherd has created, developed, and managed J & K Lawn Care, a family business with several employees. He is the seventh Walsh student to receive the Fellowship.
Entrepreneur Fellowship Program Overview
Walsh College received a generous grant from The Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan through the Ann and Carman Adams Fund for “The Walsh College Adams Entrepreneurial Fellowship” to develop the entrepreneurial skills of promising business students. The Adams Entrepreneur Fellowship Program encourages promising scholars to become successful entrepreneurs through a mentoring program that links them with local entrepreneur mentors.
Check back in October 2010 for future Adams Fellowship opportunities.
Application Deadline: (Download Application here)
Current Fellowship Dates: January 10, 2010 – December 15, 2010
Fellowship Details:
- Salary and health benefits paid by fellowship grant for one year
- Tuition and books paid for two classes or two independent studies worth 6 credit hours.
- Holidays and College breaks paid.
- Membership paid in two local organizations, meeting costs covered.
- All expenses paid trip to one out of town leadership training opportunity.
- Lifetime membership paid in the Walsh Business Leadership Institute including affinity group participation and two tickets to all workshops. (Some workshops mandatory attendance).
- Fellows should expect to meet with the faculty advisor or staff administrator at least monthly.
- Structured journal assignments are required to document fellowship progress.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility requirements to be considered for an Adams Entrepreneur Fellowship include:
¨ Reside in Southeast Michigan
¨ Current student at Walsh College or graduate of a Walsh College degree program.
¨ Three or more years full-time work experience
Criteria for Fellow Selection
¨ Serious commitment to an entrepreneurial career
¨ Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills
¨ Business savvy
¨ Initiative – demonstrated self-starter
¨ Innovative thinker and practitioner
¨ Able and willing to commit to all fellowship requirements for the full term
¨ Additional employment requirements may be requested by the host mentor’s company (e.g. background research, reference checks, etc.)
Interested applicants must provide the following application materials:
¨ Completed application (Download Application here)
¨ Responses to essay questions
¨ College unofficial transcripts
¨ $50 non-refundable application fee
Contact:
Jan Hubbard, Director of Corporate Relations
Adams Entrepreneurial Fellowship
Walsh College
PO Box 7006
Troy, MI 48007-7006
Questions? Email jhubbard@walshcollege.edu