Beaufort County Community College Named Finalist for NACCE’s 2025 Entrepreneurial College of the Year Award | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

Beaufort CCC Small Business Center staff Jack Dugan (right), director, and Katelyn Thomas, program assistant, have helped put the college on the national map for entrepreneurship.

    WASHINGTON, N.C.     Beaufort County Community College (Beaufort CCC) has been named one of the top contenders for the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship's (NACCE) 2025 Entrepreneurial College of the Year Award.

    The recognition places Beaufort CCC among the leading institutions in the nation for fostering innovation and empowering students to pursue entrepreneurial success. The award honors colleges that embody the spirit of entrepreneurship through measurable results in student achievement, community impact, and active participation in NACCE initiatives.

    The program recognizes the work of Beaufort CCC Small Business Center (SBC) director Jack Dugan and program assistant Katelyn Thomas. Over the past few years, the program has incorporated the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program into its workshops, including giving out copies of Who Owns the Ice House? Eight Life Lessons from an Unlikely Entrepreneur, helping to build confident and creative mindsets in the small business community.

    In the past year, the Beaufort CCC SBC has helped to start 13 small businesses, create 77 new jobs, and helped to retain 121 existing jobs through counseling, workshops, and modest seed funding.

    The Beaufort CCC SBC has also held multiple Seed & Sow pitch contests for current and future business owners to pitch ideas for the chance to win seed funding. Across multiple pitch contests, it has awarded $70,000 to dozens of entrepreneurs in fields such as landscaping, small farms, coffee shops, taxidermy, upholstery, transportation, and therapeutic massage. The seed funding is made possible by sponsors like NACCE Everyday Entrepreneur Program, TriCounty Foundation, Wells Fargo Bank, BCCC Foundation, and Beaufort County Economic Development.

    The Beaufort CCC SBC works synergistically with other Beaufort CCC programs such as business administration, barber, personal enrichment, and industrial sewing & upholstery so that while students are learning skills, they can also learn the essentials of managing their business.

    "This is such an incredible achievement for the college and our Small Business Center, and it is a testament to Jack's leadership, vision, and commitment to fostering innovation," said Dr. Stacey Gerard, vice president of continuing education. "His work has clearly made a lasting impact on our small business community, and being recognized as a top contender for NACCE's 2025 Entrepreneurial College of the Year Award is well deserved."

    NACCE selected finalists after an extensive review of its member colleges, highlighting Beaufort CCC as a standout for its commitment to entrepreneurship on campus and in the surrounding region. The winner will be announced on October 7 during the NACCE Conference.

    The Small Business Center at Beaufort CCC provides free confidential business counseling, training, and resources to support entrepreneurs at every stage, from start-up to expansion. Through workshops, one-on-one coaching, and partnerships with local organizations, the center has helped drive economic growth in Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington counties.

    For more information about NACCE, visit www.nacce.com.

• Attila Nemecz
• Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
• Beaufort County Community College
• 5337 U.S. Highway 264 East
• Washington, N.C. 27889
• Ph: 252-940-6387
• Cell: 252-940-8672
• attila.nemecz@beaufortccc.edu