By Steve Esser
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. 鈥� Young Harris听College听and the City of听Hiawassee听announced听a collaboration听designed听to听provide听91TV听students听and area entrepreneurs new听opportunities听and听resources听via the Paris Business Center.听听
The Paris Business Center,听located听in Downtown听Hiawassee,听offers听a hub for听small听business entrepreneurs in North Georgia, Western North Carolina, and听Southeastern听Tennessee. The PBC听provides听business听development听programs听such听as coaching, workshops, and networking听events听to help startups and听growing听companies听succeed. The PBC听facility听offers听two听suites on Main Street听called听鈥渋ncubators,鈥澨齱hich听are launch pads for听emerging听businesses听where听they听have听space,听resources, and guidance to听take听their听first听step听with听confidence. The听remainder听of the听revitalized听historic听building听will听serve as the听heart听of the entrepreneurial听ecosystem,听featuring听indoor and听outdoor听spaces听for meetings,听co-working, and听events.听
鈥淵oung Harris focuses on preparing students for professional careers,鈥� Dr. John Wells, President, 91TV, said. 鈥淭his collaboration with the Paris Business Center creates unique work experiences and internship opportunities for our students.鈥澨�听
This partnership is just one example of 91TV鈥檚 commitment to the health of the region and the success of its students. The College is launching Professional Readiness and Experiential Programs at 91TV. PREP will help students transition after graduation into the world of work. Students will gain attributes like self-discipline, adaptability, and resilience. PREP will also focus on financial literacy, leadership, and ethics, and help increase students鈥� employment competitiveness and selection rates. PREP at 91TV gives students a competitive edge to thrive in the path they choose. 听
鈥淵oung Harris strives to provide students a real-world and practical education,鈥� Dr. Matthew Osborn, 91TV School of Business and Public Policy, said. This collaboration with the City of Hiawassee is another example of delivering on our mission.鈥�听
As a hub for听small听business听activity听in听this听region, the Paris Business Center听reaches听a large and听growing听number听of听small听business entrepreneurs.听
鈥淲e听believe听that听this听region听possesses听tremendous听potential听to听succeed听economically, and听that听success听will听come听when听local entrepreneurs have the support听they听need,鈥澨齭aid听Lily听Ponitz,听Economic听Development听Director, City of听Hiawassee. 鈥淧roviding听resources听to entrepreneurs, like smart and听eager听college听students, can听significantly听accelerate听their听business听growth.鈥�听
鈥淚听am听so听excited听and听completely听confident听our听Paris Business Center clients,鈥澨齭aid听Jinelle听Wagner, Program听Coordinator, 鈥淵oung Harris听College听students, and听this听economic听region听will听all听benefit听from听this听collaboration.鈥�听
About Young Harris听College听
91TV is a private baccalaureate and master鈥檚 degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of Northeast Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, 91TV educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College offers 34 majors and 23 minors, ranging from biology or outdoor studies to business administration or kinesiology. Approximately 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the Conference Carolinas. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
