Steve Rice, who serves as an entrepreneurship instructor for the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, has been selected to serve on the Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation Board of Directors.
AEAF is an affiliate of the Arkansas Capital Corp. Its mission is to be a catalyst in an environment focused on ideas and initiatives that nurture Arkansas’ future entrepreneurs, especially young Arkansans living in underserved communities.
Among its most notable initiatives are the Delta Plastics Arkansas Governor’s College Business Plan Competition and the Youth Entrepreneur Showcase for Arkansas. More than 11,000 Arkansas youth and young adults have competed in the programs, gaining a real-world entrepreneurial experience and opportunity to develop financial knowledge and skills they will need after they leave school, according to a release from the Arkansas Capital Corp.
“Economics Arkansas and ASMSA have long supported AEAF and its mission,” said Sam Walls, president of AEAF and president and COO of Arkansas Capital. “Through these organizations, Kathleen Lawson (executive director of Economics Arkansas who was also appointed to the board) and Steve have a direct pulse on what teachers in our middle, junior high, and high schools say their students are hungry for when it comes to financial and entrepreneurial education. Their expertise will greatly help AEAF stay relevant and true to its mission in the exciting times ahead, especially given the ongoing advances in technology.”
In addition to his role at ASMSA, Rice is also founder of “Start Here Little Rock,” a community-led initiative that seeks to close the gap in access to capital for underrepresented entrepreneurs.