The University of Texas at Arlington – College of Business was recently awarded with a grant of $500,000 from the Small Business Administration to establish a Veterans Business Outreach Center.
The UTA Veterans Business Outreach Center, which plans to provide educational services for veterans starting or growing their own business, will be the second such center in Texas and nineteenth in the country.
“This program will make UTA the first stop for veterans who are leaving the military to pursue a business education,” said Rachel Croson, dean of UTA’s College of business. “This program benefits our veterans, but also makes the university and the College of Business stronger by bringing their talents into our classes and onto our campus.”
The Small Business Administration Grant will help provide interactive learning opportunities not just for veterans, but for the spouses of veterans, National Guard and reserve component members through the Texas Veterans Commission Veteran Entrepreneur Program. The center will offer opportunities for one-on-one business counseling and training, including workshops on topics such as starting a business, writing a business plan and learning about benefits such as the SBA loan program and Veterans Advantage.
According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, Texas is home to the country’s second largest veteran population. Over 3,000 veterans and their dependents are included in UTA’s student population. The new Veterans Business Outreach Center is not the first time UTA has reached out to Texas’ veteran population. In May of 2013 the university established a Veterans Assistance Center on campus to provide tutoring and assistance for veteran students.