LaunchBox Hosts Community Event with University President Neeli Bendapudi

Penn State Lehigh Valley — By Sharon Tercha on November 22, 2022

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — An audience of students, faculty and community entrepreneurs heard Dr. Neeli Bendapudi speak about education and innovation at the Nittany Lion Cafe in the Lehigh Valley campus’ new $16 million expansion — recently completed under Chancellor Tina Q. Richardson. The event introduced newly appointed Lehigh Valley LaunchBox Director Jill Crane, before turning to a “fireside chat” between the president and chancellor.

Bendapudi spoke to the region’s massive transformation. “The entire region has revitalized itself through entrepreneurship,” Bendapudi said. “Entrepreneurs don’t just react. They are proactive and take calculated risks. In higher education, we try to bring that out.”

“Reports show that as many as 70% of GenZ’ers want to become entrepreneurs,” said Richardson. “They (GenZ) have more than $143 billion in buying power and the motivation to be the boss. Penn State has the statewide network of startup resources to give them the tools.”

Crane continued on this thought: “The LaunchBox network across the commonwealth has supported more than 5,000 entrepreneurs, helping launch more than 200 new companies and create 300 new jobs.”

Read the full article:  President Bendapudi talks innovation and education at Penn State Lehigh Valley | Penn State Lehigh Valley (psu.edu)