Eastern Connecticut State University

« Back to Recent News

Eastern concludes first 'Small Business Academy' for local entrepreneurs

by Noel Teter

Willimantic, CT (11/12/2025) — Eastern Connecticut State University concluded a month-long series of business courses for local entrepreneurs this November. The inaugural session of the Small Business Academy (SBA) was offered by Eastern's new Small Business Resource Center (SBRC), created in partnership with Liberty Bank and the Town of Windham.

The academy included a series of 10 lectures by an assortment of Eastern faculty members and local industry professionals, designed to assist both local entrepreneurs and Eastern students in developing their small businesses through networking opportunities, financial resources, professional guidance, and more. Upon completion, SBA participants qualify for a $5,000 line of credit through Liberty Bank.

During the academy's final session on Nov. 11, Dean of Education and Professional Studies Niti Pandey reflected: "The academy was a great opportunity for emerging local entrepreneurs to learn about running a small business, network with each other, and engage with Eastern faculty, community partners, and students.

"It was a wonderful example of how Eastern can help provide valuable resources for supporting economic development in the region."

Pamela Days-Luketich of Liberty Bank, an Eastern lecturer who has helped facilitate the SBA prior to the Eastern-Liberty Bank partnership, said she was excited to "bring [the SBA's] quality and standard to Eastern ... and having the opportunity to use Eastern's presence in the community to make people feel they are part of the academy.

"The academy gives small business owners resources and knowledge to help their businesses thrive," she said.

INSTRUCTOR PERSPECTIVES

Days-Luketich taught three lectures throughout the academy, in addition to a wrap-up during the final session. Her lectures were titled "Is Owning a Small Business Right for You?", "Banking Services and Credit Reporting" (in collaboration with Liberty Bank colleague Harrison Thiede), and "Risk Management."

She was particularly impressed by the driven yet altruistic spirit of the students. "I can't stop talking about the community collaboration of entrepreneurs mixing with Eastern students," she said. To her, this "community spirit" was exemplified by students attending programs together, such as open houses.

Accounting Professor Moh'd RuJoub taught the series' fifth lecture, "Financial Management and Record Keeping." To RuJoub, bookkeeping is the main component of financial management. This point gave way to discussions of budgeting and accounting software.

"A budget comes from bookkeeping," said RuJoub, clarifying that a budget form - or projected budget - helps a business owner "have their expectations" regarding what the actual budget will be. "I don't think you can do a budget until you figure out your business, customers, and competition."

John McGrath, lawyer and former business law lecturer, led a session titled "Organizational Types." "We covered the various legal structures authorized under Connecticut law and provided insights into which might be appropriate for entrepreneurs in the course," said McGrath.

He spoke highly of the entrepreneurs' eagerness to learn: "We were impressed by the range of businesses and their varied expertise, but mostly by their thoughtful questions. ... Everyone in the class learned from each other's questions and experiences."

A VARIETY OF BUSINESSES

Through its commitment to supplying local entrepreneurs with the resources they need, the academy helped to advance a variety of missions.

One such mission is providing non-emergency medical transportation for local residents through Ride 2 Care LLC, according to owner Vicente Gonzalez.

Shea O'Connor is also in the business of providing access to wellness - for dogs. East Coast Pawz, her dog grooming and wellness service, benefited from her enrollment in the academy.

"When making connections with other local business owners, we bounce a lot of ideas off each other," said O'Connor. "Some of us have already used some of these things."

Beyond networking, several companies provide benefits across the local small business scene. Sophomore business administration major Alex Hewes attended the academy to workshop Maltyox Industries LLC, which provides card merchant services for local businesses, including point-of-sale systems.

Hewes was inspired to create Maltyox, which translates to "thank you" in the K'iche' language of Guatemala, through his experience in several customer service jobs. He hoped to "get to know how the loan business works" as he looked to assist other local businesses.

Steven Ohm, owner and instructor for guitar lesson service TakeCoda Music LLC, seeks to advance wellness by "spreading the joy of music." Ohm continued: "Music helped me become who I am; playing guitar is good for you emotionally."

While seeking to learn financial management in the academy, Ohm also hoped to "give fellow businesspeople the option to come and learn to play guitar."

Not all businesses represented in the academy were fresh startups. Pastry chef Bethany Dixon has been operating her home-based bakery, Ever So Sweet, for five years, and joined the academy to network and advance her financial management skills.

###

Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-26 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

Media Attachments

Small Business Academy participants, faculty members, and guests gather for the final session of the academy.

Chris McNaboe, chair of the Willimantic Downtown Neighborhood Association, speaks with SBA participants.

SBA participant Alejandro Quiroz, owner of A&A Mobile Detailing

SBA participant and pastry chef Bethany Dixon, owner of Ever So Sweet

Copyright © 2025 Merit Pages, Inc. • All Rights Reserved. • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Opt Out