Creating and Building South Carolina’s Women-Owned Businesses
“This is an historic moment for our Benedict College as we will be one of only two HBCUs in the nation to house a Women Business Center (WBC) on our campus; and the only one to offer state-wide services. The launch of the Benedict College WBC is a logical extension of Benedict College’s steadfast commitment to stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship in underserved communities by supporting and growing women and minority-owned businesses.”
Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis
DR. ARTIS
Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis has earned for the second time in history, the distinct honor of serving as the first female President of a collegiate institution in the United States. On June 30, 2017, Dr. Artis was unanimously appointed by the Board of Trustees as the 14th President of Benedict College. She is the first female President in the 148-year history of the College which was founded by a woman, Mrs. Bathsheba Benedict in 1870.
Dr. Artis is a member of the National Board of Directors for the United Negro College Fund, an educational advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, and a member of the Presidents Advisory Board for Title III Administrators and the Educational Testing Service Presidents’ Advisory Council. Dr. Artis is a member of the National Black MBA Advisory Council. Locally, she is a member of Board of Directors for the Council of Independent Colleges, the United Way of the Midlands, and Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina. She is a member South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission, and the Advisory Council for the South Carolina Philharmonic Board of Directors.
We are experiencing unprecedented historical times on many fronts. It is at this time, that we must collectively act to make a difference like never before. Recent studies estimate that 40% of African American businesses had to close as of April 2020, and a great number of those were owned by minority entrepreneurs, more specifically minority women. The survival of those that remain and the resurgence of viable minority-owned businesses in our most vulnerable communities is dependent upon all of us to provide equal opportunities for growth and development, bridge disparities, and equalize the playing field across all sectors.
BCWBC seek to initiate the leveraging required to support our small business community. Aligning with Benedict College’s mission as a catalyst for economic development, the BCWBC serves as the first gender focused statewide entrepreneurial initiative for socially and economically disadvantaged small and minority-owned businesses throughout the state of South Carolina. While providing assistance to all businesses, our efforts primarily focus on women, particularly minority women that historically experience more social and economic disparities then their counterparts. Located in the heart of our state’s capital, the BCWBC provides:
- Customized business one-on-one counseling.
- Lender referrals and loan package preparation assistance.
- Seminars and classes (web-based), focused on key business topics.
- Review and feedback on written business plans.
- Networking opportunities to find mutual support, access to resources and business referrals.
- Certification assistance and review.
- Local and global business development.