Cummings Grant & Entrepreneurship Activities Coordinator

Middlesex Community College (MCC), established in 1970, provides access to affordable education to prepare individuals for success and lifelong learning. We promote academic excellence, provide workforce development opportunities, and empower all learners to become productive and socially responsible members of our local and global communities. The College provides a broad range of services that are essential to attract, reward, and retain talented faculty and staff. The MCC community promotes a work environment where our employees feel supported and empowered to best serve our student population.

About the role

The Idea Center is a student entrepreneurship program within the Division of Business, Legal Studies & Public Service, supporting students at every stage of their business journey from ideation to launch. The program is open to all enrolled students across both campuses and connects participants to the college's Launch Your Business Now certificate as a clear pathway forward. This role supports the college's broader goal of building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that extends across programs and disciplines, complementing the academic-side entrepreneurship coursework. This is a grant-funded position. Continuation of the position is subject to funding availability on an annual basis.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate weekly drop-in hours at both the Lowell and Bedford campuses (one session per campus per week)
• Serve as a one-on-one mentor and business coach, helping students develop, refine, and validate their business ideas
• Maintain student records and track progress over time
• Supervise and support students testing business ideas in a real-world marketplace setting
• Coordinate logistics for marketplace and ensure a structured learning experience
• Recruit, train, and manage student interns who assist with marketplace events
• Plan and execute one pitch contest per semester, open to all enrolled students
• Coordinate the application process, judging panels, and event logistics
• Administer small seed funding awards to winning participants to support business idea testing
• Guide and connect students to the college's Launch Your Business Now certificate
• Collaborate with academic departments to align program offerings with certificate requirements
• Develop and implement a marketing strategy to promote the Idea Center across both campuses
• Use college communication channels (social media, digital signage, tabling, classroom visits, etc.) to raise program awareness and drive student participation
• Work collaboratively with offices such as Academic Affairs, Career Services, Financial Aid, and Workforce Development to create wraparound support for student entrepreneurs
• Build and maintain relationships with community partners and local business resources as appropriate
• Maintain accurate records of student participation, program outcomes, and fund disbursement
• Prepare reports as required by the Cummings Foundation grant terms
• Work with the grants office to ensure programmatic and fiscal compliance

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Entrepreneurship or a related field
• Experience in entrepreneurship, small business development, program coordination, or student services
• Strong interpersonal, coaching, and communication skills
• Ability to work across two campuses and manage multiple priorities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a higher education or community college setting
• Knowledge of or experience with small business or startup ecosystems
• Experience supervising student staff or interns
• Familiarity with grant-funded program management

Pay

$36.55 per hour in accordance with the College's Part-Time Wage Schedule

Schedule

• 18.5 hours per week, schedule to be determined upon hire
• Some evening or weekend availability may be needed for pitch events and marketplace programming