����ӰԺ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

����ӰԺ Celebrates Launch of NOVA Entrepreneur Center, Expanding Opportunity for Students and Southern Middle Tennessee

Pulaski, Tenn. – The ����ӰԺ is excited about the launch of the NOVA Entrepreneur Center, expanding the university’s leadership in creating opportunity for Southern Middle Tennessee. Housed at Makeshift on the Square in downtown Pulaski, the center connects students and community entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and networks needed to turn ideas into action and fuel regional growth.

The NOVA Entrepreneur Center provides ����ӰԺ students and community members with hands-on training, practical support, and collaborative opportunities designed to help bring new ventures to life. By strengthening the university’s role as a partner in economic development, the center creates new pathways for innovation that extend ����ӰԺ’s impact well beyond the classroom.

“This is a transformational moment for our campus and for the 13-county region we serve,” said ����ӰԺ Chancellor Melinda Arnold, PhD. “The NOVA Entrepreneur Center reflects our deep commitment to expanding opportunity, building pathways for students, and fueling economic growth across Southern Middle Tennessee. By creating a centralized hub of innovation, we are empowering both students and community entrepreneurs to succeed—right here at home.”

The Center complements ����ӰԺ’s existing academic programs in business, management, and entrepreneurship while directly connecting with the region’s small business community. In addition to rigorous academics in the Johnston School of Business, students gain access to the , a regional hub for innovation and venture development that provides mentorship, resources, and opportunities to put ideas into action. This combination of classroom excellence, a culture of entrepreneurship, and a focus on lifelong growth prepares ����ӰԺ graduates to lead with integrity and make a lasting impact in the global business world.

����ӰԺ led the grant proposal effort that secured the funding and support to establish NOVA EC through a grant, underscoring the university’s leadership in building new opportunities for Southern Middle Tennessee. This success was made possible through the instrumental partnership of the UT Research Foundation, whose collaboration and support helped advance the proposal and bring the project to fruition in alignment with ����ӰԺ’s vision for regional innovation. The initiative reinforces ����ӰԺ’s mission to serve as a catalyst for community and economic vitality, in alignment with the UT System’s statewide vision for impact.

����ӰԺ extends its appreciation to all involved in achieving this success. The NOVA Entrepreneur Center is established in collaboration with the , including ����ӰԺ, the , the , and the , whose collective expertise strengthens the center’s reach and impact across the region.

###