SBA unit opens on Citadel campus

Citadel business students are poised to work with small, local companies that need a helping hand in an arrangement that could benefit all involved.

A branch of the U.S. Small Business Administration teamed up with the school's business administration department this week to open a resource center on the Citadel campus.

It will operate as a satellite location to an existing small business development center on Core Avenue in North Charleston.

"It's a convenience to people," said Elliott Cooper, who oversees the SBA's South Carolina district, referring to the second location,

Citadel-based development counselors will offer free services such as reviewing business plans and helping business owners apply for certifications that will help them win government contracting jobs.

Through the Citadel partnership, the center also can provide market research.

The information will be gathered by business students, who stand to gain from that experience, said Ron Green, dean of the college's business school.

Retail store owners who want to open a store in West Ashley, for example, could ask students to help them locate competitors and break out demographic data on possible customers, Green said.

"One of the things we've tried to do here is connect (the academic world) with the real world and economic development," Green said.

"Having that not only provides students with some relevance, but it can help those in the community gain from the knowledge we have here."

Similar business centers operate at Clemson University, Winthrop University, South Carolina State University and the University of South Carolina.

Business owners can schedule appointments for help at the Citadel branch, which will be open between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

Funding for the new center's counselors and resources will come from state and federal sources.

Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com.