Embark E-Learning Key Component of new Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative Program

Today, the Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative unveiled its newest program - the New Iowa Entrepreneurial Center. This new program will be headquartered in the John and Mary Pappajohn Education Center located at 1200 Grand Avenue in Des Moines.

"By providing entrepreneurs with new business development and survival tools we will help encourage their success while elevating the role of entrepreneurship as a key driver of Iowa's economy. The New Iowa Entrepreneurial Center will help to improve Central Iowa's economic competitiveness which is core to the Collaborative mission", said David Maxwell, President of Drake University and the Collaborative Board’s Chair.

An essential element of the program is the Embark E-Learning program, an award winning and proven product of E-Myth Worldwide. The Center’s unique approach provides entrepreneurs with a blended learning experience that focuses on building businesses that are highly systems-dependent rather than people-dependent. The Center will serve entrepreneurs and small businesses by maximizing the scarce public and private sector resources available for small business growth. The new center will promote more vibrant and healthier entrepreneurial community and region.

"It is pleasing to see the Collaborative and the Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers being joined in this effort by a long list of public and private sector partners. These include ALIANZA the Latino Business Association of Iowa, the African American Business Association, the Iowa Asian Alliance and the Iowa Entrepreneur's Coalition just to name a few", said John Pappajohn, a Collaborative Board member Iowa’s best know advocate for Entrepreneurialism. "For the first time, the New Iowa Center and its partners will make special efforts to include members of underrepresented groups - persons of Hispanic, Asian or Eastern European descent; African Americans and rural women - in the Collaborative program", he added.

According to Kent Sovern, the Collaborative Executive Director, the Center will focus on three major initiatives during the next 30 months. "We intend to create great learning opportunities for entrepreneurs; we will leverage state and local entrepreneurial resources to provide strategic support Iowa based small business startups; and, we will adapt existing post-secondary entrepreneurial curriculum and develop new learning opportunities for the purpose of addressing the unique needs of New Iowans" said Sovern.

The start-up phase for the New Iowa Entrepreneur Center will occur over the next 30 months. The Center is supported in part by resources provided by the Collaborative members, the United States Congress (with special support from Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Leonard Boswell) and the US Department of Education, Office of Post-Secondary Education. Applications to become a part of the program are available on the Collaborative web site www.dmhec.com

About the Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative

Seven of Iowa’s premier educational institutions founded the Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative with a clear and focused mission-to increase Iowa’s ability to compete in the world economy by elevating the educational attainment of Central Iowa’s workforce through life-long learning including higher education, professional development and corporate training opportunities.

Through its members, the Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative offers hundreds of very affordable and accessible career boosting education opportunities designed to fit the many professional and personal demands of businesses and their employees. The Collaborative offers flexible on demand learning through credit courses, blended courses, workshops, seminars and customized corporate training that is available in fifteen locations throughout Greater Des Moines. In addition, more than 300 courses are available on-line.

If you are interested in having Embark E-Learning be a part of your Entrepreneurial Program, Chamber, or Trade Association, please contact:

Robert Clements
Vice President of Strategic Alliances
E-Myth Worldwide
Tel: (515) 288-6984
Email: rclements@e-mythiowa.com