IF YOU GO
What: Veterans Entrepreneurship Program at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.When: Application deadline is April 30. On-campus eight-day training session July 25-Aug. 1.Cost: Free to eligible veterans who are selected for the program. Travel expenses, lodging and meals for the boot camp are provided at no cost to participants.To apply: www.utc.edu/VEPQualifications: Honorable discharge, with preference given to service-distinguished and service-disabled veterans. For more information, call Sandra Cordell at 423-425-4417, or email Sandra-Cordell@utc.edu.
One graduate founded a marketing firm, another a virtual accounting firm.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Veterans Entrepreneurship Program has helped several dozen honorably discharged servicemen and servicewomen from across the country start businesses. Many of them are still going strong: Carter Wexler, a 2013 graduate, founded Big Frog Brewing Co. in Red Bank.
The program launches for its fourth year this summer. Applications are being accepted through April 30.
All honorably discharged veterans are eligible to apply, with preference given to those who are service-distinguished and service-disabled. If they are accepted, the program is free. That includes housing, travel, food and lodging (at a local hotel) -- "everything they need while they're here during that week of boot camp," said Katrina Craven, spokeswoman for the College of Business.
The program costs about $3,200 per veteran, based on a capacity 20, the maximum UTC can accept. This year's lead sponsor is Walden Security.
Applicants must have a somewhat developed business plan. The program begins with five weeks of online self-study and culminates with an eight-day boot camp. Even after they've left, graduates get 10 months of support from the College of Business. Providing mentors for the veterans is a big part of the program, Craven said. Participants further develop their plans with the help of business experts and UTC College of Business faculty.
Last year the UTC program had 17 graduates. They came from around the nation, which is typical. So far this year, 30 have applied to the Chattanooga program, some from as far as Oregon and Texas, Craven said.
UTC runs the program in conjunction with Oklahoma State University, where it originated, and University of Florida. The consortium allows the schools to share resources and refer applicants to each other. The whole program gets about 150 applicants, Craven said. Oklahoma and Florida typically accept 30 to 35 participants.
Interested veterans can apply online at www.utc.edu/VEP.
Contact staff writer Mitra Malek at mmalek@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6406. Follow her on Twitter @MitraMalek.