Queens College has received a three-year, $446,500 award from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation to implement a program called Blackstone LaunchPad (BLP), which is available for students in any major to help them build entrepreneurial skills.
Queens College students will have the opportunity to participate in business pitch competitions, ventures, conferences, workshops and speaker series.
“As we open the QC Business School, ‘the Business School of tomorrow,’ the Blackstone LaunchPad will foster the culture of innovation for our growing community of entrepreneurs of the future,” Kate Pechenkina, the Interim Dean of Social Sciences, said.
Queens College is one of nine CUNY colleges that have been chosen as BLP partners in 2021. The BLP network encompasses 46 schools in the United States and Ireland.
Queens college, which has more than 20,000 students, enjoys a national reputation for its liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional programs. The Queens College program in business administration, housed in the economics department, offers three majors leading to the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), according to Queens College’s website.
“We are deeply proud to join the innovative Blackstone LaunchPad program,” Queens College President Frank Wu said. “By connecting students with mentors, internships, and job opportunities, BLP encourages students to pursue entrepreneurship in any industry. As the college’s alumni advance in their careers, contributing to the economy, our city and state will greatly benefit from Blackstone’s commitment to higher education institutions that serve under-resourced communities.”
