Western Kentucky University’s Glasgow campus plans to make a small-business accelerator available to students starting in 2019.

Beth Laves, WKU’s associate vice president of extended learning and outreach, said the student business accelerator came about because the university wanted to reach out more to the Glasgow community.

“The Glasgow campus is part of WKU’s outreach to the community, so we find ways to connect to the community,” she said.

The decision to provide students with a business accelerator was based on input from public officials in the area, including Glasgow Mayor Dick Doty and Dan Iacconi, executive director of the Industrial Development Economic Authority of Glasgow-Barren County. The accelerator is designed to provide student entrepreneurs with workspace, access to high-speed internet and conference rooms, as well as networking opportunities with established local businesses,

“We talked about ways we can connect to that community and one of the things that came up was a student business accelerator,” she said.

Though the accelerator’s workspace is ready to go, the campus is holding off on opening it until sometime in the spring semester, Laves said, adding that the campus wants to take its time to cultivate a network of local groups and businesses willing to provide help and input to the local entrepreneurs who will be using the space.

“We need to develop that network of human resources that can help you with networking, mentorship, internships,” she said. “There certainly will be opportunities for them to interact with our business leaders and we certainly expect that to have a wider audience.”

Jeff Hook, director of WKU’s Center for Research & Development and Small Business Accelerator in Bowling Green, said he is not involved in the business accelerator on the Glasgow campus.

Stephanie Prichard, the Glasgow campus’ outreach coordinator, said the business accelerator will give students help with establishing and operating their businesses.

“There’s nothing like this in the Glasgow area, so we thought this would be a good opportunity to help them get their businesses off the ground,” she said.

Prichard said business classes are among the most widely taken at the Glasgow campus, which will make the accelerator especially valuable when it opens.

“Business is a huge part of our enrollment in Glasgow so we thought this would be a big added value,” she said.

The accelerator has four work stations as well as access to conference rooms, scanners, copiers and other equipment, Prichard said.

“We had the space here at the Glasgow campus and we’re just trying to use all the space,” she said.

Prichard said the campus is reaching out to Glasgow Independent Schools and Barren County Schools to build awareness of the accelerator among students who may be attending WKU’s Glasgow campus next year with an interest in starting a business.

In an emailed statement, Bo Matthews, Barren County Schools superintendent, said the district appreciates the opportunity WKU is providing with the student business accelerator.

“We are excited about the new opportunities the WKU Business Accelerator could potentially bring to students in our community,” Matthews’ statement said. “This work aligns with Barren County School District’s vision for all students to ‘BeCome Life Ready’. We are fortunate to have so many entities in Barren County that see the potential of our students as tomorrow’s innovators.”