Central Penn College launches 9-month Entrepreneurship Certificate

Central Penn College is launching an 18-credit Entrepreneurship & Small Business Certificate Program. “This 9-month program is perfect for people who want to learn business essentials fast, so they can either start their own business or make their current business even more successful,” said Ben Lipschutz, interim Dean of Business and Professional Studies.

The new program will be first available at the college’s Summerdale and Lancaster locations as well as online, with the first cohort starting in the evenings at the Lancaster Center. Central Penn College operates on an accelerated, year-round schedule of quarterly, 11-week terms. The college offers master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees and certificate programs.

“We chose Lancaster as the launch point because the city has been such a hub of innovation and small business growth, especially during the last 10–15 years,” said Doug Fisher, an instructor in the Business Department.

“This new certificate program includes specific, pandemic-related content, with the purpose of enabling current and future entrepreneurs to adapt and pivot quickly when circumstances change,” said Fisher, who was the president of four companies during a successful 35-year business career. He has been teaching at Central Penn College since 2017.

A Bridge to Greater Success

While Entrepreneurship & Small Business is a stand-alone certificate program, the credits earned from the six courses also can be applied to an associate or bachelor’s degree.

“For those who want to continue their education later on, this program can be a bridge to earning an associate or bachelor’s degree,” said Lipschutz. “All the credits students earn can be applied to a Central Penn business degree program, if they want to continue their education at some point in the future.”