Participants in the first-ever Academia de Negocios at their completion ceremony in fall 2024.
Waubonsee Community College is proud to expand its entrepreneurship program by offering New Venture Academy – a 10-week cohort for aspiring business owners – in Spanish for the first time, called Academia Emprende. This effort ensures that entrepreneurs in the Spanish-speaking community have access to the same high-quality resources and support as their English-speaking peers.
Last fall, Waubonsee ran three specialized cohorts: New Venture Academy, Business Growth Academy (BGA), and Academia de Negocios, the Spanish-language version of BGA. All three programs will return for spring 2025, along with Academia Emprende. All four programs are designed to support business owners at different stages of their entrepreneurial journey and are made possible through the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB)’s Noncredit Workforce Training Initiative Grant.
at the completion of their 10-week program
in the fall of 2024.
New Venture Academy and Academia Emprende are 10-session programs created for individuals in the early stages of launching their small businesses. Whether participants have just an idea or have started working on a business plan, this program will provide essential tools to help them develop a clear path forward.
“This program is designed to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality,” said Suzanne Markin, Workforce Education Manager at Waubonsee. “By the end of the Academy, participants will have a solid business plan, a strategy for launching, and a supportive network of like-minded peers.”
New Venture Academy launches February 24 and will run on Monday evenings. Academia Emprende runs on Tuesday evenings starting February 25. Both cohorts, hosted at Waubonsee’s Aurora Downtown Campus, will run for 10 weeks from 6–9 p.m.
For members of the community with established businesses, Waubonsee will once again run BGA, and its Spanish cohort, Academia de Negocios. These programs are designed for business owners who have been in operation for at least two years, are generating revenue, and are looking to scale up their business.
Last fall’s inaugural Academia de Negocios drew 27 participants, showcasing the need and interest of the Spanish-speaking business community.
Participants in BGA and Academia de Negocios will receive expert guidance, practical solutions, and opportunities to connect with other business owners.
“No longer will language be a barrier for Spanish-speaking business owners who want to take their business to the next level,” said Noelia Ruiz, Manager of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Waubonsee.
Business Growth Academy begins February 26 and runs on Wednesday evenings on the Sugar Grove Campus. Academia de Negocios runs on Thursday evenings starting February 27 at the Aurora Downtown campus. Both programs will run for 10 weeks from 6:15-8:30 p.m.
With the continued offerings of New Venture Academy, BGA, Academia de Negocios, and the new addition of Academia Emprende, Waubonsee reaffirms its commitment to empowering entrepreneurs of all backgrounds and levels of experience.
For more information about BGA and/or Academia de Negocios, or to apply, visit waubonsee.edu/BGA. For more information about New Venture Academy and/or Academia Emprende, or to apply, visit waubonsee.edu/new-venture-academy.
