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CEO of KWL Enterprises and Co-Founder of 300 Entertainment Kevin Liles and Verizon’s Innovative Learning Program For Minority Males will give local, minority middle school students a lesson on entrepreneurship in STEM during a University visit.

WHAT: Verizon Presents “Entrepreneurship 101”- As an extension of Verizon’s Innovative Learning program for minority males, music executive, Kevin Liles, will visit Kentucky State University to deliver a lecture on STEM and entrepreneurship amongst the program’s minority, male middle school and college student participants.  During “Entrepreneurship 101,” Liles will share best practices in turning innovative ideas into entrepreneurial ventures and tips on delivering a strong “elevator pitch.”  Students will be tasked with developing creative, tech-focused business ideas and have an opportunity to practice their “elevator pitch” with Liles.

Verizon’s Innovative Learning program for minority males is a two-year program that provides minority, male middle school students hands-on-learning experiences with advanced technology and mentorship.  Launched in the summer of 2015, the Verizon Foundation partnered with four Historically Black Colleges and Universities to facilitate summer science intensive courses giving students exposure to the latest in technology including 3D design, app development, coding and more.  The program also pairs middle school student participants with college students for mentoring throughout the school year.

WHEN:  Monday, June 13, 2016 at 12 p.m.

 WHERE: Kentucky State University,

The Hill Center, Ballroom

400 E. Main St., Frankfort KY 40601

WHO:

• CEO of KWL Enterprises and Co-Founder of 300 Entertainment Kevin Liles
• Local middle school students who can speak about their experience in Verizon’s Innovative Learning program for minority males

WHY: Minority males are severely underrepresented in STEM fields and are less likely to graduate from high school and pursue college. Through Verizon’s Innovative Learning program for minority males, Verizon is empowering a new generation of young minority men by giving them lifelong technology and entrepreneurship skills to build innovations of tomorrow and create brighter futures for themselves and their families.

For more information about the Verizon Foundation, visit http://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility.

CONTACT: Jade Stevens (951) 329-2432

About the Verizon Foundation

The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company’s innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, healthcare and energy management.  Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live. Verizon’s employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 6.8 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities.  For more information about Verizon’s philanthropic work, visit www.verizon.com/about/responsibility; or for regular updates, visit the Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/verizongiving).

About Kentucky State University

Kentucky State University, building on its legacy of achievement as a historically black, liberal arts, and 1890 Land Grant University, affords access to and prepares a diverse student population of traditional and non-traditional students to compete in a multifaceted, ever changing global society by providing student-centered learning while integrating teaching, research and service through high-quality undergraduate and select graduate programs. Kentucky State University is committed to keeping relevant its legacy of service by proactively engaging the community in partnerships on civic projects driven by the objective of positively impacting the quality of life of the citizens of the commonwealth.

[1] National Science Foundation http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab5-5_updated_2014_05.pdf