{"id":156812,"date":"2026-03-23T13:15:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T18:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=156812"},"modified":"2026-03-23T13:15:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T18:15:29","slug":"mississippi-entrepreneurship-forum-to-convene-at-insight-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/mississippi-entrepreneurship-forum-to-convene-at-insight-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Mississippi Entrepreneurship Forum to Convene at Insight Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Annual statewide higher education gathering will be April 9-10 at
Ole Miss<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0The University of Mississippi<\/strong> will host the 2026 Mississippi Entrepreneurship Forum<\/strong> on April 9-10, bringing together leaders from public and private institutions of higher education across Mississippi<\/strong> to share campus-based entrepreneurship efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Small business owners and entrepreneurs from across the state gather at a previous Mississippi Entrepreneurship Forum. The 11th annual forum is set for April 9-10 in Oxford, offering networking opportunities, resources and lectures on creating and maintaining a business in the state. Submitted photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The two-day forum will be at\u00a0Insight Park<\/a>, the university’s research and business park, with opening activities in the Johnson Commons ballroom<\/strong>. The forum serves as a convention for higher education leaders engaged in entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n

“MEF is intentionally designed as a working forum,” said J.R. Love<\/strong>, assistant director of economic development and Insight Park. “It gives colleagues from across Mississippi’s colleges and universities the opportunity to step away from their campuses, reflect on what’s working and learn from one another in a setting that encourages collaboration and honest dialogue.”<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The opening session on April 9 will feature a conversation between Lisa Cooley<\/strong>, assistant professor of marketing at Delta State University<\/strong>, and John T. Edge<\/strong>, director of the\u00a0Mississippi Lab<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Greenfield Farm Writers Residency<\/strong><\/a>. They will focus on the economic and community impact of place-based creative and entrepreneurial initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That evening’s dinner will feature remarks from Saundra Thompson McFarland<\/strong>, business law instructor at Jackson State University<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activities will continue April 10 at Insight Park, with breakfast and a guided tour of the park, followed by a business and entrepreneur roundtable led by Allen Kurr<\/strong> of\u00a0Oxford Lafayette Inc<\/strong>.<\/a>\u00a0The forum will also include a planning team meeting and lunch remarks from Lucy Schultze<\/strong>, CEO of\u00a0Red Window Communications<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The annual event is organized by the\u00a0Office of Economic Development<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0as a part of the\u00a0Catalyzing Entrepreneurship and Economic Development<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0initiative. A committee of\u00a0Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0schools and statewide organizations also support the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, contact J.R. Love at jrlove@olemiss.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff Report<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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