Hazleton, Pennsylvania – More than 60 Hazleton LaunchBox participants supported by Passco L. Schiavo’s Diaspora Emprende were recently honored during a virtual ceremony attended by officials from Penn State Hazleton and INDEX (Instituto de Dominicanos y Dominicanas en el Exterior) Dominican Republic.
Entrepreneurship coordinator, Fermin Diaz, organized and led the series, which he adapted from LaunchBox’s flagship Idea Design Lab so it could be presented to native Spanish speakers.
The sessions, held monthly beginning in September, have featured elements from the Idea Design Lab, but with a deeper exploration of the content, Diaz said. He added that participants came from approximately Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Washington DC and Brazil.
“This program has shown that by connecting people and exchanging ideas, goals and perspectives, we can positively impact ourselves and our communities,” Diaz said.
Elizabeth J. Wright, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Office of the Senior Vice President of Commonwealth Universities and Director of Academic Affairs at Penn State Hazleton, and Debra Conway, Director of Hazleton LaunchBox and Director of Continuing Education at Penn State Hazleton, thanked participants for their hard work and commended them for their commitment to collaboration.
“At Pennsylvania, we greatly value all of the collaborations that we have with institutions and partners outside of the United States, so this partnership is special for us,” Wright said.
Conway added, “Pennsylvania knows and understands how important it is to forge these collaborative relationships and share knowledge, experience, and accomplishments. Working together can contribute to stronger economies and better opportunities for all.”
Join Conway and Wright in recognizing participants as representatives of the Government of the Dominican Republic, which has partnered with LaunchBox on the programme. Representatives included Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Jorge Morales, Deputy Minister of Consular Affairs and Immigrants Gatzel Roman, and Director of Connectivity and Joint Development Chile Nunez.
The program is scheduled to resume in February. Contact Diaz at fermin.diaz@psu.edu or 570-450-3135 for more information or visit the LaunchBox website for additional resources, support, and events.