2012 FSU EBV-F Program

It’s been a while since my last blog which only means one thing…a lot has happened since we last spoke and there are several new updates! Let’s start with EBV-F which took place April 10^th – 18^th!

Our very first EBV-F class has officially graduated from Florida State. The participants included 14 women and 1 man. These caregivers came from several different states and represented all branches of the military. It was a packed week full of classes, work, and presentations about their business ideas.

The backbone of EBV-F is quite similar to EBV which means the scheduling, pace, and classes all revolve around the same information as EBV with minor changes directed towards being a caregiver to a disabled veteran instead of being a disabled veteran. With this being said, the week began with an Opening Ceremony which was located at the Residence Inn Marriott with several guests who support our program. This evening was an intimate event where the ladies and gentleman had the opportunity to talk to their fellow classmates and get to know one another. The Opening was a relaxing night filled with good food and good conversation before the real work began the following day.

The participants hit the ground running with classes starting early that morning and continuing throughout the day and into the night. Guest speakers spoke on different specific topics pertaining to the caregivers. Once nightfall hit, each participant was working hard on their Commercialization Plan and the Venture Pitch they would present to a panel of judges on their last day of bootcamp.

With all the hard work being accomplished, we knew it was time to let the participants have a well-deserved break for one night. We surprised them with a Spa Night at Aveda where each participant received a manicure or pedicure, as well as, a massage or facial. They were beyond thrilled and in much need of a relaxing night. Even the one male participant decided to take one for the team and join the women at the spa. All in all, this night was a huge success and thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. We would like to thank Aveda for helping us create such an experience for the participants and for completely donating their services that night. Aveda’s support is greatly appreciated and we couldn’t have done it without them!

The days following were just like the first filled with hard work and nerves beginning to run high as everyone started realizing how fast Venture Pitch day was approaching. The presentations were presented one by one and every participant’s nerves diminished knowing that the hardest part of the week was over. When it was all said and done, they could breathe a sigh of relieve knowing that they had just survived a week of intense entrepreneurial bootcamp.

The Closing Ceremony took place after Venture Pitches and was the perfect way to celebrate the week! It was located at the Alumni Center where all the caregivers participated in a graduation ceremony.  Kimberly Hill, 2012 EBV-F graduate, spoke at the ceremony about the program and the experience she was engulfed in while attending. As the night came to an end, everyone said their goodbyes knowing that the following morning the newly graduated EBV-F class of 2012 would find themselves on their way back home to put their newly gained knowledge to work.

The 2012 inaugural EBV-F Program was a great success and we would like to thank all of the participants, supporters, sponsors, and donors for helping make this program a reality.  We would also like to thank all of the restaurants which either donated or provided food during EBV-F. A special shout-out goes to Momo’s, Harry’s, and The Cake Shop for fully donating their services! We are grateful for your support.

Last but not least, EBV is just a little over a month away and we are in full swing getting ready as the online portion begins on the 21^st. Make sure you keep a look out on our Facebook pages as we continually update you with information about the 2012 program.  

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year bloggers! It is finally 2012 and there is no time like the present to be setting those New Year’s resolutions and hopefully not breaking them! From all of us here at the Center for Veteran Outreach, we hope you had a relaxing and family-filled holiday season. Speaking as a student, it was extremely nice to be able to relax, not stress about classes, and enjoy time with family and friends. However, that time is over and it is time to get back into the full swing of things. This week starts the first official whole week of classes and the professors are taking no time to get straight into teaching all kinds of different materials. As this New Year starts, I am energized and ready to take on that challenge!

Let’s dive right in to what’s going on here at the CVO. We are taking this time now to get everything prepared and ready for EBV-F -- which is only a few months away. Schedules are being prepared, speakers will be decided soon, and applications are coming in as I type. It’s an exciting time for us as we see the event come together. We are gathering volunteers to help and holding meetings to get everything organized. Before we know it, EBV-F will be up and running!

As time goes by, I will have more to update you on. I will be blogging as much as possible in order to give you a behind the scenes glance of what the volunteers and organizers see when putting together such a large event. Trust me…you won’t want to miss this! 

As always, tell all your friends about us and I hope to see you all back soon!

What's to come in 2012?

Good Afternoon my fellow bloggers!

I trust that you all had an excellent Thanksgiving! As a student here at FSU, three days of Thanksgiving break was such a tease! Thankfully Christmas break is approaching quite rapidly. We only have two weeks of classes left before the dreaded week of finals arrives. It’s hard to believe that another semester is coming to a close and a brand new year is on the horizon. I’m looking forward to what 2012 will bring…

One exciting event taking place in 2012 is our brand new program here at the College of Business…EBV-F! The Florida State University is the second university to offer this program and we are thrilled to announce that it will take place on the FSU campus here in Tallahassee. EBV-F is a program which provides small business ownership training to military family members who are now caregivers to a wounded warrior – or for the surviving spouse of a military member who gave his or her life in service to our country. We are now accepting applications which can be found at http://www.cob.fsu.edu/Academic-Programs/Departments/Management/Alumni-and-Community/Centers-Institutes/Center-for-Veteran-Outreach/EBV-F/How-to-Apply.  EBV-F follows the same structure of EBV and contains both an online portion, as well as, an in-residency. The online part will take place in March which gives them a taste of what is to come with the in-residency. The dates for in-residency are scheduled for April 10^th-18^th. Please visit our website for more information or, as always, feel free to contact us at (850) 644-6154.

Following EBV-F, we will start working on our EBV program which will take place over the summer, but don’t worry; I will keep you updated as that date gets closer. Also, more information about this program can be found on our website.

I will leave you guys with a question pertaining to the Holiday season coming up. If you could leave your answer as a comment on our social media sights that would be awesome! The first person to answer gets bragging rights! Good Luck!

What Christmas food is made from “marsh-whorts?”

2011 EBV National Conference...take a look inside!

Hello bloggers!

I’m backkk! I hope that everyone has been doing well since my last post. I have quite a lot to update everybody on. So, let’s get started, shall we?

First of all, a couple weekends ago, October 13^th-15^th, we had our 2011 EBV National Conference in Orlando, FL, at the Swan and Dolphin. This was our first year having a conference. What all does an EBV Conference include? So glad you asked…

The conference started Thursday night with a cocktail reception which allowed all of the attending graduates from each EBV Program that has graduated except for this past year’s graduates… This included Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, UCLA Anderson School of Management, Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, University of Connecticut School of Business, LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute E.J. Ourso College of Business, and The Florida State University College of Business. During this hour, veterans were able to find other veterans from their graduating school and classes or walk around and introduce themselves to others putting their networking skills to work. After the reception, dinner was served and the opening ceremony began.

The opening ceremony included an introduction from Mr. Tim Holcomb, an extraordinary speech from Mr. Erik Weihenmayer, and a musical performance by Mr. Michael Peterson. This was an amazing way to start of the conference. The next day was full of classes with special keynote speakers and guests who were experts in their field. When lunch time arrived, everyone was gathered for another special event. We had the honor of listening to Mr. Bobby Henline, a veteran comedian. He made sure the room was filled with laughter! After lunch, it was back to class for the rest of the afternoon.

The morning of the 15^th included a few more classes and lunch/closing ceremony. This was a bittersweet time because everyone would once again be going their separate ways. All in all, the 2011 EBV National Conference was a HUGE success! The veterans, speakers, and staff all had an amazing time! We are already looking forward to the 2^nd National conference.  Such a great opportunity for veterans to rediscover different ideas for their businesses and work on their networking skills as they get to see what other vets have been up to since graduation, as well as, speak with experts!

What’s next for the Center for Outreach? Hold on…we’re getting there!

In just 5 short months, we will be hosting EBV-F at our Panama City Campus. EBV-F is a program that provides both practical training in the tools and skills of new venture creation and growth integrated with family and caregiver issues, and also provide to support structure for graduates of the program. More information about this program will come as it gets closer. If you have any questions concerning EBV-F, please take a look at our website (http://www.cob.fsu.edu/Academic-Programs/Departments/Management/Alumni-and-Community/Centers-Institutes/Center-for-Veteran-Outreach/EBV-F/Program-and-Schedule) or don’t hesitate to call us at (850) 644-6154.

As you can tell, we have a lot going on here at the Center for Veteran Outreach which reminds me…I better get back to work! If you have any suggestions of what should be included in the next post or have any type of shout-out you would like to have mentioned, just let me know! Have a great day everyone and don’t forget to smile!

~Brittany Tharp

There's so much to look forward to!!

Welcome back, fellow bloggers! I trust that everyone has been doing well and enjoying their summer! Here at The Florida State University, we are only about one month away from starting the fall semester. Everyone knows what that means…students will be coming back to campus, classes will be taking place, AND, last but not least, football season will be starting. I hope everybody is ready to show their Seminole pride!! I know I sure am!

However, those are not the only upcoming events that we have going on around here. In October, there will be a 2011 EBV National Conference in Orlando, Florida, at the Swan and Dolphin Resort. For those of you who do not know what the National Conference is…here is a brief run-down. EBV graduates of all years, except for 2011, and of all participating schools are able to attend this conference in which we will have guest speakers hold classes that will reinforce everything that was taught to these veterans during EBV. It’s not just another EBV though. Our goal at this National Conference is to give graduates opportunities to network with each other and the various guests that will be in attendance. Also, we have organized these courses in a manner that will update every participant on changes that have happened within the economy. This two day conference will definitely be something you won’t want to miss!

Another exciting event coming up will be our EBV-F Program which will be held in February at our FSU Panama City Campus. EBV-F is a brand new extension of EBV to our FSU location and we are both proud and thrilled to spread the word about this new program. EBV-F gives military family members who are now caregivers to a wounded warrior – or for the surviving spouse of a military member who gave his or her life in service to our country the knowledge of how to launch and grow a small business in a way that is complementary or enhancing to other family responsibilities. This program is one of a kind and here at the Center for Veteran Outreach, we cannot wait to get things started for this special program.

Although these two events will be the main focus of these next two semesters that does not mean that those are the only things going on. We will be organizing several speaker sessions where a professional in a certain area will come in and speak of a certain topic. Dates are not yet confirmed, but this speaker series will be taking place during the semester. I will post any and all information as the semester gets closer and new veterans begin to arrive. And as always, if you are ever in the College of Business area take a moment to stop by and see us! We will be happy to share with you any information about our programs that you may be interested in finding out.

I will be blogging again soon…so don’t forget to check back often to get the latest scoop from the Center! Enjoy the rest of your summer and don’t forget to smile! :)

Behind the Scenes of EBV

It has been over three weeks since our 2011 EBV Program has ended. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun, huh? I have decided to begin this blog by letting my readers in on what exactly happened during the week of EBV. Weeks of hard work all came together when the first few veterans got off that plane from Atlanta into the Tallahassee Regional Airport. I think all of them had an idea of what was going to be happening during the week, but one doesn’t really know what they’re getting into till it’s too late.

Once they arrived, they were immediately taken to Hotel Duval, where they would be staying for the length of the program. Of course, they weren’t able to come straight to the hotel without some sort of media interviewing them. Thankfully, they were all prepared to share the limelight. Once at the hotel, they were set up for Orientation and everything was off and running. That evening included the Opening Ceremony which entailed words from Dr. Tim Holcomb, Dean Caryn L. Beck-Dudley, and Dr. Randy Blass. The musical entertainment for the night was Mr. Michael Peterson who is a fantastic Nashville recording artist who truly tugs at the heartstrings with his compositions.  The Opening Ceremony was a way to get all the veterans acquainted and make them feel welcome to their home away from home for the next nine days.  

The next day it was full steam ahead with classes which lasted from about 8:30 AM to 5:30 that night. The work didn’t stop there, however. After eating dinner, they had even more work to do with creating and writing a business plan which they would present to a board of judges’ just days later during Venture Pitches. I believe it was during these long days of working they began to realize that we weren’t kidding when we said they were coming to bootcamp.

It wasn’t just all work and no play though. On Monday night, the veterans were treated to a Tailgate where they had the opportunity to go to Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. At this event, they had the opportunity to meet some football players and eat dinner in the President’s Box. It was a real treat for all of them, especially Chad Shadle, who happened to be an avid Seminole fan. This night was a fun-filled event where everyone got the chance to relax and enjoy some time off of their days of hard work.

It was back to work the next day. The veterans sat in classes and worked on their Venture Pitches until Thursday, June 16. On this day, it was time, the judges were ready and so were the veterans. For about five hours, each veteran went into a room and explained their business idea to the panel.  Each veteran was given twenty minutes to pitch their idea. In the end, each one finished and the stress that had built up was finally released. 

That night we had our Graduation/Closing Ceremony. This was a bittersweet evening because of the fact that the week had come to an end. The veterans were not just acquaintances anymore; they had become friends. They all shared this special evening by receiving certificates upon their successful completion of Florida State University’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities Program.

I know this program was hard work for each and every one of them, but I have to say if someone were to ask any one of our vets if it was worth it…I think they would say YES in a heartbeat. The knowledge and friendships that they have gained was a truly exceptional experience and I bet any of them would do it all again in an instant. So, all I have to say is keep up the good work, Noles! Congratulations, once again, on completing this Program. You should be proud…I know we sure are!

Coming Soon to the one and only FSU near you...EBV!!

Good Afternoon, readers! I hope everyone is doing well on this lovely
Thursday! I know here at the Center everyone is as busy as ever working on plans for EBV.  It's getting closer and closer and before we know it all the veterans will be arriving. During this third week of classes, our veterans are still working with the on-line portion; however, it is getting more detailed and business oriented. This is a little different than the first couple of weeks where they were just meeting others and introducing themselves. By now, they have gotten to know each other as much as one possibly can through a computer. This year the veterans actually have pictures they put on Blackboard which makes it easier to put a name to a face. I can only imagine the excitement of meeting someone in person that one has been communicating with over the internet.  


To all those who do not know about on-line portion of EBV, here's a
brief rundown. The veterans are working on business ideas and plans that they have. They have been researching and receiving information about the reality of starting their own business ventures. It's quite an exciting time for them! The bigger picture is starting to open itself up for them to run with. Each veteran uses discussion boards to pitch their idea and make plans to communicate with us about what their idea is. They will further this idea once they get to campus and listen to guest speakers and work with these specialists.


All in all, the work with the veterans is being completed as we speak, but what about the volunteers that help make all of this happen? I'll just take a quick minute and let you know what we are working on here in the EBV office. Each volunteer has been given specific duties that they have been working on for weeks. There's a lot going on behind the scenes of the EBV Program. We have volunteers working with lunches/dinners for each night the veterans are here, travel arrangements, keeping the on-line portion running, promotional items and shirts are being ordered, and that is just the beginning. We are the only EBV Program that is fully run via student volunteers! Now that's something worth mentioning! We love what we do here and are truly passionate about this program.


If anyone is interested in finding out more information or even volunteering with this program, check out our Twitter, Facebook, or our webpages at cob.fsu.edu/cvo and cob.fsu.edu/ebv. Thanks for your support!