SBA and Florida Memorial University Commit to Help Entrepreneurs and Underserved Small Businesses
MIAMI – The U.S. Small Business Administration signed a strategic alliance memorandum (SAM) with Florida Memorial University, the only historically black university in southern Florida, today (Nov. 19), to promote entrepreneurship both on and off the Miami Gardens, Florida. campus.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony with Florida Memorial Interim President Dr. Roslyn Artis, and SBA South Florida District Director Francisco “Pancho” Marrero at the University’s Lou Rawls Center for The Performing Arts.
Through the alliance, the SBA South Florida District Office and Florida Memorial University will work together to serve FMU students interested in business ownership and to also address the needs of historically underserved small businesses throughout the Miami Gardens area.
“Knowledge, exposure and opportunity are critical elements in our student’s success” said Interim President Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis. “At Florida Memorial University, we believe in developing strategic, partnerships so that our students have the benefits of real world experience in addition to theoretical knowledge.”
Through the first of its kind in south Florida, this alliance is the latest in a series of similar agreements between SBA and historically black colleges and universities located throughout SBA’s eight-state southeastern region.
“The purpose of these alliances is to educate today’s youth, minority students of the entrepreneurial opportunities that exist today and to connect these students with resources that can help to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams. This initiative is not meant only for business school students, but to all of the students within the college or university,” said Marrero.
SBA South Florida District looks forward to working with its new partner.
“The strength of South Florida and especially Miami-Dade county business communities is its rich diversity of people and cultures. Alliances such as this one with Florida Memorial University will provide a new generation of entrepreneurs awareness and access to the wide range of SBA resources to create new businesses and jobs here,” said Marrero.
For the university, the partnership extends beyond campus grounds.
“Florida Memorial University welcomes this opportunity to join the SBA in bringing this important partnership to South Florida. We are particularly pleased to share this opportunity with our Miami-Garden’s neighbors.” said Dr. Artis.
