The Tennessee Technology Development Corporation is encouraging a small business plan competition that has been organized to promote entrepreneurship at Tennessee colleges and universities through February 12.

“This year there was not enough time to plan, but next year I look forward to putting together a team to compete,” said Dr. Steven Jackson, associate professor of accounting and holder of the Tom E. Hendrix Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise.

The Students in Free Enterprise Club will be hosting Entrepreneur Day on February 11 with the new football coach as guest speaker.

“Competitions are an available way to gain hands on experience and promote the University,” said Daniel Roman Schmidt , senior economics major

The TTDC encourages students to submitt plans of original business concepts, some of which may lead to the development of new businesses in Tennesee. The judges look for quality of the idea, the strength of the management team and the clarity and persuasiveness of the written plan. Teams submit there plans on online at www.tennesseetechnology.org/sbpc.html

“I want to have a home furnishing retail store one day. This is a great opporunity for a good future in business,” said Hideko Umehara, sophmore marketing major.

The Tennessee General Assembly created the TTDC in 1997 as a public-private partnership to gain Tennessee’s role in the economy. Winners of the small business plan competition will be announced April 21.

“This is really good for people in any kind of business. As fast as the business world is changing it will give students a whole new outlook on what to expect in the future,” said Scott Wallace ,senior business management major.