The George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

The George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies was established through a planned gift of the late George and Martha Means and officially dedicated November 12, 2010, during Illinois State University’s annual Entrepreneurship Day.

George R. Means, a 1929 Illinois State alumnus in geography education, was a professional cartographer and navy commander during World War II, a fellow of the American Geographical Society, and served 19 years as general secretary for Rotary International. The center is the reflection of his lifelong passion for entrepreneurship.

The goal of the Means Center is twofold: Enhance the academic and business experiences for students, and serve as a research and consulting resource for businesses. It supports programs involving both student consulting and entrepreneurship research and is home to our Coleman Fellows program where the aid of professors from across campus is enlisted to make entrepreneurial studies available more broadly to students.

“With this most generous gift we can expand Entrepreneurship Day, our Business Plan Competition, our Creative Idea Competition, and our E Scholars program,” said Means Center Director Mark Hoelscher. “These initiatives are essential in providing richness and balanced entrepreneurship education for our students.”

“From the entrepreneurs profiled in this issue to the countless other success stories of our graduates who have created their own companies, it is clear that the College of Business at Illinois State University offers superior and well-rounded preparation for business professionals. The formal establishment of the Mean Center will insure the continued national success of our entrepreneurship program,” added College of Business Dean Scott Johnson.

More information about the Means Center and its services can be found at www.cob.ilstu.edu/means.