Obama Administration to Host White House Forum on Entrepreneurship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of Education (ED)  hosted a forum on entrepreneurship at the White House yesterday. The event brought together a mix of business owners, government experts and leaders from a variety of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to discuss opportunities and facilitate solutions to challenges in underserved communities.

Prior to the event, SBA Deputy Administrator Marie Johns and ED Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Debra Saunders-White participated in a conference call to brief reporters on the Obama Administration’s efforts to engage HBCUs/MSIs and increase entrepreneurship opportunities in underserved communities.  Speakers and panelists were as follows:

Administration: Marie Johns, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration

Moderator: Warren Ballentine, National Radio Talk Show Host, The Warren Ballentine Show, Radio One

Panelists/Speakers:

Ron Busby, President, U.S. Black Chamber and SBA’s Council for Underserved Communities

Cassius Butts, Regional Administrator, Region 4, U.S. Small Business Administration

Terry Clark, Vice-President, Entrepreneurship and Business Development, Urban League