This unique public-private investment is focused on developing the talent and entrepreneurs necessary to advance Oxford, Butler County, and the region’s workforce. One goal for College@Elm is to serve as a national model for how a rural community can leverage its creative and technological assets to promote local economic prosperity and contribute to a vibrant world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
“We are driven by a desire to unleash students’ entrepreneurial mindsets, ignite their imaginations about what is possible, and motivate them to innovate, create value, and elevate their impact on society,” said Tim Holcomb, chair and professor Entrepreneurship and the director of Miami’s John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship. “College@Elm will provide another opportunity for students from across campus to ‘experience’ entrepreneurship, working hand-in-hand with founders, investors, and experienced professionals who are committed to their success.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
College@Elm includes an entrepreneurial training center, a partnership between Miami and the Butler County Small Business Development Center. Other tenants include 1809 Capital and the city of Oxford.
This past spring, VaLanDria Smith-Lash ‘23 launched the operation of her skin care products business, Coarse Culture, in College@Elm, with the Culture Cohort — a team of Miami students who work in production, marketing, sales, and operations. Another recent tenant is the Oxford Free Press, an independent nonprofit newspaper founded in June and committed to local coverage of Oxford, the surrounding townships, and the Talawanda School District.