Alcorn State University opened its Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on Nov. 19 in the Dr. Rudolph E. Waters Classroom Building, expanding resources for entrepreneurs across Southwest Mississippi.
The center solidifies a partnership with the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network to drive innovation and economic stability, serving a nine-county area including Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson, Pike, Wilkinson, and Warren counties.
Alcorn joins a statewide network assisting small business owners through one-on-one coaching, technical assistance, and educational workshops.
Sharon Nichols, state director of the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network, emphasized the collaboration’s potential.
“We are here to guide our businesses and grow our economy,” said Nichols. “We’re excited about having this partnership with Alcorn State because of their partnership within their university. It’s not just the SBDC; we work as a team to help our small businesses grow.”
The center connects local entrepreneurs with tools to turn home-based ventures into thriving enterprises.
Dr. Antwon D. Woods, dean of the School of Business, highlighted the mission of serving students and the community.
“We want to touch every element of Southwest Mississippi and provide these extraordinary resources,” said Woods. “We want to be entrepreneurial for the students here on campus, but we also want to be entrepreneurial for those stakeholders in this region who are farmers, interested business owners, and want to have the resources to help them in their growth.”
The initiative relies on collaboration between the School of Business and the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.
“Thank you so very much for believing in Alcorn, for believing in this vision for the state of Mississippi,” said Dr. Edmund Buckner, associate provost for research, innovation, and graduate education. “Without collaboration, we would not be nearly as successful as we are or as we are going to be. Let’s continue to work together because working together works.”
Jarita Frazier- King, the center’s director, described the facility as a catalyst for regional prosperity.
“Today’s ribbon-cutting represents more than opening a center; it represents growth, access, and opportunity for Southwest Mississippi,” said Frazier-King. “This center is more than a service office. It is an economic engine. It means empowering people who live here to stay here, build here, and thrive here.”
The SBDC will extend its reach through satellite locations in Vicksburg and Natchez to ensure accessibility.
