SUNO unveils its Small Business Incubator Center

Last week, SUNO Chancellor Dr. Victor Ukpolo officially unveiled the Small Business Incubator Center. The Center is located on Southern University at New Orleans’ Lake Campus next to the current College of Business & Public Administration Building.

The Center is designed to become the New Orleans metropolitan area’s breeding ground for entrepreneurship. The $3-million building houses rental space for entrepreneurs, faculty and staff offices, as well as meeting rooms for tenants and classrooms for students.

During the Wednesday morning ceremony, Dr. Ukpolo thanked federal, state and local officials for pushing through legislation and funding to construct the Center. “This Center would not have been possible without the help and determination of many people dedicated to entrepreneurship and Southern University at New Orleans,” Ukpolo said.

Igwe Udeh, dean of the College of Business & Public Administra-tion, echoed those sentiments as he explained the Center’s mission. “Our passion is to grow more businesses,” Udeh said. “This building will house up to 10 different small businesses for up to three years. We also intend for our students to use this Center as a lab to practice the skills they will need when they enter the business world.”

The Center falls under the leadership of Cynthia Beaulieu, director of the Small Business Development & Management Institute. The University will continue to operate the Small Business Incubator located at 7240 Crowder Blvd. in eastern New Orleans. It currently houses 10 businesses.

This article originally published in the June 8, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.