Grace College’s Gordon Center for Enterprise Development is partnering with Language Matters and the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce to provide courses for local business owners in Spanish. The initiative harnesses the strengths of all three community organizations to help Kosciusko County businesses grow and to equip their owners with the tools they need to manage their organizations well. The current series, “Taking Control of Your Business’s Finances,” meets on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center and is free for all chamber members.
“Serving our community by offering practical, growth-focused education for local businesses is a core pillar of the Gordon Center,” said Glenn Grossman, director of the Gordon Center at Grace College. “Through partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce and Language Matters, the Gordon Center extends its impact and helps drive meaningful, sustainable change.”
Grace professors like Grossman and Dr. Rick Koontz, professor of management, are donating their time and sharing their business know-how for this initiative, while representatives from Language Matters (LM) are translating the class sessions.
The idea for the courses began after Lucas Fonseca, founder of LM and Grace College alumnus, conducted primary research through a partnership with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce. The research included focus groups with area business owners and a survey, which helped identify the most-needed business education topics within the community. The curriculum was then developed with those specific needs in mind.
“I hope business owners leave the course with a stronger sense of ownership over their business finances, empowering them to plan for the future with greater accuracy and confidence,” said Fonseca.
Fonseca’s work with Language Matters began when he was in college and has since landed him in Marquis Who’s Who, earned him a place on the shortlist for Forbes’ 30 Under 30, and resulted in him being named Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Young Alumni of the Year. Now, Fonseca continues to keep his head on a swivel, looking for ways to link arms with organizations in the community to eliminate language barriers — and his alma mater has become a go-to resource and trusted partner.
“Grace has been such a vital support throughout my company’s history, and being able to bring the Kosciusko Chamber, Grace, and Language Matters into this initiative together is pretty awesome,” Fonseca said. “This isn’t the first time we’ve partnered with Grace to meet real, tangible needs in our community, and it won’t be the last!”
To refer Spanish-speaking business owners or entrepreneurs to the program or to receive notifications about future courses, complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAU5Hg84ZlylbKhQlnxnvYKHVUS9xC22Dl0GKlaIQ_fBofxA/viewform?usp=header.
