Buchanan Hall residents are taking their first steps toward learning how to start their own business with the help of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Learning Community.

Founded the fall semester of 2004, the 30 students have networked with other students and local business owners to create connections and receive information that will help after graduation. The program might move to a new residence hall floor and expand to 70 members.

“The learning community is a forum to meet people and network. It’s a chance to explore opportunities related to the field of entrepreneurship,” said Neal Sneller, freshman in pre-business.

The learning community meets on Tuesday mornings for its required class.

The class, as well as the community, is directed by Judi Eyles, program coordinator for the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship.

Eyles said the benefits of the community include bringing together students from various backgrounds and majors. The diversity in the community offers students the opportunity to learn from each other.

She also said the community’s mentoring program brings in various business owners, bankers and alumni to communicate and network with the students.

“They tap into this set of resources that are either here now for them, or later on down the road,” Eyles said. “The thing about entrepreneurship is that it’s all about the network you can tap into.”

Megan Todd, freshman in marketing, said the group has participated in activities like meeting with a member of the Ames Chamber of Commerce as well as a representative from the Pappajohn Center. During these meetings, the students shared business ideas they came up with and then received feedback on how they could improve them.

“It’s about meeting a good group of people that share a similar interest and are really encouraging,” Todd said.

“If you share an idea, they encourage you to go ahead and pursue that idea.”

Overall, the students are enthusiastic about the community and are looking forward to their expansion next year, Sneller said.

The community is available for students in any major, freshmen through graduate students. Those interested in joining the community can apply online at www.isupjcenter.org/ELC.