Lawrence’s Rider Is Offering Veterans Entrepreneurial Skills For Free This Summer

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — Rider University is offering a six-week Veteran Entrepreneurship Training (VET) program this summer.

This free program is open to veterans, their spouses, and dependents who want to work on skills needed to develop a business concept or expand an existing venture, the University said.

Additional coursework is available for those interested in pursuing college credit for the program.

Offered through Rider’s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, the program is capped at 20 students to ensure participants receive personalized feedback as they develop a business concept and conduct a feasibility analysis.

“As the program enters its 12th year, I am continually impressed by the veterans,” said Dr. Ron Cook, professor of entrepreneurship and the instructor for the program.

“They are eager to learn, and I’ve seen some successful businesses develop as a result of their efforts in their program. My goal is to provide them with a framework for the critical decision-making and analytical skills needed for starting or growing a business.”

The program is supported by the New Jersey Bankers Charitable Foundation, Inc., which was established in 2005 to honor fallen or permanently disabled military members in the post-9/11 Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts by providing scholarships to their eligible dependents.

In 2015, the purpose of the Foundation was expanded to include broader charitable causes in addition to veteran causes. Applications are open now through May 15 unless capacity is reached earlier.

The program will run on Wednesday evenings at Rider from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. from May 21 to June 25.

For more information and to apply, visit rider.edu/vep.

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