Our Mission, History and Timeline

Over the last 30 years, the entrepreneurial spirit has transformed the business world. Entrepreneurs have been the driving force of our economy, creating new ventures, technologies, jobs and wealth. Today, more than ever, pursuing an entrepreneurial venture offers the greatest opportunity for personal fulfillment and career success.

IECE is a multifaceted Center located in the College of Business and Public Administration, whose mission is to advance the study and practice of the entrepreneurial spirit through:

Entrepreneurship education

Student internships

Entrepreneurial training

Business assistance programs

Collaborative community partnerships

Entrepreneurial research

IECE achieves its mission by offering innovative programs and services to students at CSUSB and to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profit entrepreneurs in the Inland Empire. In addition, IECE serves as the breeding ground for entrepreneurial ideas and programs being developed through the various departments within the College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA).

1999

Center established

Pat McInturff and Jeanne King serve as center executives; Dr. Kuan Chen serves as Advisory Board Chairperson

2000:

Awarded Kauffman Foundation Grant for Entrepreneurial Intership Program

Business Resource Center office established in partnership with Arrowhead Credit Union, SBA and SBDC.

2002:

Hired first full-time Director

Awarded the US Department of Transportation’s Entrepreneurial Training and Technical Assistance Program

2003:

Created the Distinguished Entrepreneur Lecture Series

Created and hosted the inaugural IECE Student Business Plan Competition

Awarded the US Department of Agriculture’s IECE Inland Empire Small Farms Initiative Program

Awarded funds by the US Small Business Administration to establish the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center

Awarded university and private sector funding to found the Inland Empire Family Business Partnership

Founded the Spirit of Entrepreneur Awards Program

Hosted the inaugural Spirit of Entrepreneur Awards Program to 600 attendees

2004:

Awarded the City of Corona’s Corona Business Assistance Program

Awarded the County of San Bernardino’s Business Mentoring Program

Hosted the 2nd annual Spirit of Entrepreneur Awards Program to 600 attendees

Recognized as one of the top 50 regional university entrepreneurship programs in the US by Entrepreneur Magazine

2005:

Surado Solutions becomes the endowed sponsor of the Distinguished Entrepreneur Lecture Series

Recognized as one of the top 26 regional university entrepreneurship programs in the US by Entrepreneur Magazine

Establish the IECE Student Fellows program

Establish the Integrated Technology Transfer Network (ITTN) program in partnership with the US Army Research Laboratory to provide entreprenurship and tech transfer education to minority science, math and engineering students

2006:

Ranked #4 in the nation among graduate entrepreneurship programs in the US by Entrepreneur Magazine and The Princeton Review

Established the Coachella Valley Women's Business Center(CVWBC)

Overhauled the undergraduate entrepreneurship curriculum, instituting six new courses that better prepare students for entrepreneurial endeavors and expose them to the most current thinking about entrepreneurship and new venture creation.

Over 200 students enrolled in the program.

Program funding through grants, contracts, and gifts exceeds million.

New state of the art entrepreneurship classroom dedicated to entrepreneurship program.