Community & Economic Engagement Summit
- Advance regional community engagement and economic development activities during N.C. A&T Homecoming Week.
- Inform, train, and educate the public on topics of community and economic engagement.
- Facilitate mutually beneficial conversations between the university and its community partners.
- Create opportunities for participants to network and learn how to build personal wealth.
- Influence policy makers and advocacy leaders to support underserved communities.
- Inform impact of event with pre- and post-event assessment instrument.
TUESDAY, October 25
Time |
Description |
Facilitators |
1:00 PM - 3:30 PM |
Walking Tour - from/to N.C. A&T ALUMNI EVENTS CENTER |
Benjamin Briggs, Executive Director, Preservation Greensboro |
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM |
Opening Plenary - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Lonnie Cockerham, N.C. A&T Executive Director of Community Engagement |
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM |
Overcoming Business Obstacles - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Joel Wiggins, Director, Center of Excellence in Entrepreneurship & Innovation |
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM |
Networking Essentials - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Dan Ford, President, Atlanta HBCU Alumni Alliance |
5:45 PM - 6:30 PM |
Business Expo and Reception - ROOMS 101 & 102 (Not streamed or Recorded) |
WEDNESDAY, October 26
Time |
Description |
Facilitators |
8:30 AM |
Breakfast |
|
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM |
Opening Session - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Harold Martin, Chancellor, N.C. A&T State University |
9:45 - 10:15 AM |
Affordable Housing Shortages and the Effect on Economic Mobility - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Cephas Naanwaab & Alfredo Romero, Associate Professors of Economics, N.C. A&T State University |
10:30 AM - 11:20 AM |
How to Start and Fund a Business - ROOM 103 |
Kevin Price, President & CEO at National Institute of Minority Economic Development |
Tech Startups: from Academia to Impact (including SBIR/STTR funding) - ROOM 101 |
David Kaiser, Deputy Director for the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology & Innovation |
|
Innovation: Staying on the Leading Edge in Your Industry - ROOM 102 |
Hope Rush, Do You Believe Enterprises, Inc. Geoff Foster, President/CEO Core Technology Molding Corporation |
|
History of Redlining & Future Economic Outlook for East Greensboro - ROOM 104 |
Kim Cameron, Executive Director, N.C. A&T Real Estate Foundation, Inc. |
|
11:30 AM - 12:20 PM |
Thriving in a Competitive Landscape - ROOM 101 |
Antwan Adams, Owner, 42-Fry Restaurant |
Preparing & Presenting a Successful Sales Presentation - ROOM 102 |
Thom Randle, CEO, and Founder of The Rising Tide Group |
|
Becoming Cyber-Vigilant to Avoid Attacks - ROOM 103 |
Terrence Gilmore, Solutions Architect, Palo Alto Networks |
|
Plans for Eugene-Elm Innovation District - ROOM 104 |
Majik Pennix, Founder/President at Focused Sista's Outreach |
|
12:30 PM - 1:45 PM |
Lunch Session - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Dr. Michael Roberts, Executive Vice President of the Roberts Companies |
2:00 PM - 3:15 PM |
Panel Discussion: TOPIC: Taking advantage of global opportunities in the fields of social media business applications, cyber security, blockchain utilization, cryptocurrency emergence, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Hossein Sarrafzadeh, Director, N.C. A&T Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity, |
3:30 PM - 4:20 PM |
Keeping Your Financial House in Order - ROOM 102 |
Ulysses Cozart, Owner, FosCo Resources Company |
Connecting "CommUnity" to Economic Development ROOM 101 |
Forrest Toms, CEO, NC Research & Engagement Group, LLC |
|
How You Can Make an Impact in Community & Economic Engagement - ROOM 104 |
Sofia Crisp, Founder/Executive Director, Housing Consultants Group Josephus Thompson, The Poetry Cafe |
|
Minority Land Ownership Business Opportunities - |
Tunya Smith, Director, N.C. Department of Transportation’s Office of Civil Rights |
|
4:30 PM - 5:15 PM |
Closing Session - MIDDLE BALLROOM |
Tony Goins, Director of Economic Development at Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
5:30 PM |
Reception - ROOM 101 (Not streamed or Recorded) |
N.C. A&T Jazz Ensemble |
THREE MAIN TRACKS: Competitive Edge, Strategic Alignment, and Community Impact
Competitive Edge
|
Strategic Alignment
|
Community Impact
|
How to Start and Fund a Business (Hour 1) | Innovation: Staying on the Leading Edge in Your Industry (Hour 1) | History of Redlining & Future Economic Outlook for East Greensboro (Hour 1) |
Thriving in a Competitive Landscape (Hour 2) | How to Use Social Media & Opinion Mining to Tell Your Story and Grow Your Brand (Hour 2) | Plans for Eugene-Elm Innovation District (Hour 2) |
Keeping your Financial House in Order (Hour 3) |
Setting Realistic Goals to Scale Your Company (Hour 3) | How You Can Make an Impact in Community & Economic Engagement (Hour 3) |
Tech Startups – Academia to Impact - SBIR/STTR | Becoming Cyber-Vigilant to Avoid Attacks | Minority Land Ownership Business Opportunities |
Sessions: Tuesday, October 25
-
1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Topic: Walking Tour
Conductor: Benjamin Briggs, Executive Director, Preservation Greensboro
-
4:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Topic: Opening Plenary
LOCATION: Ballroom
Speaker: Dr. Lonnie Cockerham, N.C. A&T Executive Director of Community Engagement
-
4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Topic: Overcoming Business Obstacles
LOCATION: Ballroom
Speaker: Joel Wiggins, Director, Center of Excellence in Entrepreneurship & Innovation
-
4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Topic: Networking Essentials
Location: Ballroom
Speaker: Dan Ford, President, Atlanta HBCU Alumni Alliance Gerry McCants, President, McCants Communications Group Robin Adams Cheeley, Owner, CEO WriteRight (moderated by Joel Wiggins)
-
5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Topic: Business Expo and Reception
Location: Room 101
Sessions: Wednesday, October 26
- 8:30 a.m.
- 9:15 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

- 9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.


- 10:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.

- SESSION 2 TOPIC: Tech Startups: from Academia to Impact (including SBIR/STTR funding) [Track: Competitive Edge]
- LOCATION: Room 101

- SESSION 3 TOPIC: Innovation: Staying on the Leading Edge in Your Industry [Track: Strategic Alignment]
- LOCATION: Room 102


- SESSION 4 TOPIC: History of Redlining & Future Economic Outlook for East Greensboro [Track: Community Impact]
- LOCATION: Room 104

- 11:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.
- SESSION 1 TOPIC: Thriving in a Competitive Landscape [Track: Competitive Edge]
- LOCATION: Room 101
SPEAKERS:



- SESSION 2 TOPIC: Preparing & Presenting a Successful Sales Presentation [Track: Competitive Edge]
- LOCATION: Room 102
SPEAKER: Thom Randle, CEO, and Founder of The Rising Tide Group

- SESSION 3 TOPIC: Becoming Cyber-Vigilant to Avoid Attacks [Track: Strategic Alignment]
- LOCATION: Room 103



- SESSION 4 TOPIC: Plans for Eugene-Elm Innovation District [Track: Community Impact]
- LOCATION: Room 104

- 12:30 - 1:45 p.m.

https://ncat.zoom.us/j/93651934129
Dr. Michael Roberts, Executive Vice President of the Roberts Companies
- PANEL DISCUSSION





- 3:30 - 4:20 p.m.
- SESSION 1 TOPIC: Keeping Your Financial House in Order [Track: Competitive Edge]
- LOCATION: Room 102




- SESSION 2 TOPIC: Setting Realistic Goals to Scale Your Company [Track: Strategic Alignment]
- LOCATION: Room 101

- SESSION 3 TOPIC: How You Can Make an Impact in Community & Economic Engagement [Track: Community Impact]
- LOCATION: Room 104





- SESSION 4 TOPIC: Minority Land Ownership Business Opportunities [Track: Community Impact]
- LOCATION: Room 104


- 4:30 - 5:15 p.m.

- 5:30 p.m.
Reception
LOCATION: Room 101
N.C. A&T Jazz Ensemble
Keeping Your Financial House in Order - ROOM 102
[Track: Competitive Edge]
https://ncat.zoom.us/j/92895030236
- Ulysses Cozart, Owner, FosCo Resources Company
- Ron Davidson, President, Davidson Financial Group
- Nicholas Miles, Partner/Wealth Manager, Rutledge Financial Partners, LLC
Tommie Crump, Regional VP and Independent Representative, Primerica Financial
Connecting "CommUnity" to Economic Development - ROOM 101
https://ncat.zoom.us/j/98197924285
- Forrest Toms,
CEO, NC Research & Engagement Group, LLC
How You Can Make an Impact in Community & Economic Engagement - ROOM 104
[Track: Community Impact]
https://ncat.zoom.us/j/94096429102
- Sofia Crisp, Founder/Executive Director, Housing Consultants Group
- Josephus Thompson, The Poetry Cafe
- Athan Lindsay, Vice President Grants and Initiatives, The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro
- Marvin Price, Vice President of Economic Development, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
(moderator: Kim Cameron)
Closing Session - MIDDLE BALLROOM
https://ncat.zoom.us/j/93651934129
- Tony Goins, Director of Economic Development at Nebraska Department of Economic Development
5:30 PM Reception - ROOM 101
(Not streamed or Recorded)
N.C. A&T Jazz Ensemble
Event Sponsors

North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation

CVS Health

N.C. DOT Office of Civil Rights

Dr. Rosalind Dale