On Saturday, May 16, 20 Fairfax County residents graduated from the Workforce Innovation Success through Entrepreneurship (WISE) Program. These emerging entrepreneurs dedicated the previous nine months to fine-tuning the skill sets and knowledge necessary to continue their entrepreneurial journeys.
Workforce Innovation Success through Entrepreneurship (WISE) Program graduation. Photo by Doug Sanford Photographs.
(left to right) Rebecca Howick, director of operations and engagement for CIE, JK Aier, senior associate dean for academic affairs and global engagement at Costello, WISE graduates, Eboni Borden W.I.S.H. program director, Andres Jordan, WISE instructor. Photo by Doug Sanford Photographs.
Presented by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Costello College of Business at George Mason University, in partnership with Melwood, the W.I.S.H. Center, and the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, the WISE Program was tailored for the unique needs and aspirations of residents within Fairfax County that were not already engaged with the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The WISE cohort is part of the center’s SOAR Initiative which already has a proven track record of empowering entrepreneurs to put their ideas into action and contribute to the region’s vibrant small business community. "Through these programs, 157 aspiring entrepreneurs have participated in SOAR and more than 27 formalized businesses have been launched while also creating experiential learning opportunities for 121 George Mason students,” said JK Aier, senior associate dean for academic affairs and global engagement at Costello.
Program participants progressed through three phases: seven weeks of entrepreneurship training, 12 weeks of mentorship with an entrepreneur, and concluding with 13 weeks of consulting with George Mason students through Costello’s Experiential Entrepreneurship course and the center’s consulting team. “This partnership creates a truly valuable learning experience on both sides—participants receive additional support for their businesses, while students gain hands-on experience working directly with real entrepreneurs and community members,” said Andres Jordan, WISE program and experiential entrepreneurship instructor.
Costello designed the SOAR Initiative and the WISE cohort, recognizing that not everyone possesses the time or resources to pursue a four-year degree or a traditional MBA. “Our goal was to empower community members to create sustainable businesses, create more local jobs, contribute to the regional economy, and, most importantly, realize their dreams of starting a business,” said Rebecca Howick, director of operations and engagement for CIE.
“This partnership creates a truly valuable learning experience on both sides—participants receive additional support for their businesses, while students gain hands-on experience working directly with real entrepreneurs and community members."
— Andres Jordan, WISE program and experiential entrepreneurship instructor
The holistic model of the SOAR Initiative creates new pipelines for small business creation. Graduates from this class included a wide array of industries: retail, food and beverage, hospitality, import/export, fashion and apparel, accounting, cosmetology, education, film production, financial technology, laundromat services, professional development, and even emerging areas like 3D printing.
In addition to Aier, Howick, and Jordan, other speakers at the graduation included Rodney Lusk, supervisor of the Franconia District within Fairfax County; Sean Hoffman, board member of Melwood; Eboni Borden, W.I.S.H. program director; and George Mason student representative, Raveen Gillani (Business Major) and cohort representative, Anthony Thompson, who were led through this journey.
The center is committed to empowering entrepreneurs from all walks of life thrive and provides a pipelines to ecosystem partners who can provide long-term resources after the completion of WISE to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of their business, including the Mason Enterprise’s Small Business Development Centers, local banks, chambers of commerce and economic development authorities in the region.
The most recent WISE graduates have invested in their businesses and established a strong entrepreneurial foundation through their diligent work to transform their lives. These entrepreneurs are now poised to enrich the region with their ideas and vision.