November 6, 2026
The Flemming Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation brought home the Outstanding Student Engagement and Leadership Award from the 2026 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) Conference at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 30th annual GCEC Conference, held October 15–17, drew more than 400 leaders and educators in entrepreneurship and innovation centers, representing colleges and universities across 15 countries, including Hampden-Sydney’s Flemming Center Director Michele King, who participated in several panels. Top schools in the nation, including Harvard, Ohio State, New York University, Georgetown, and Texas A&M, attended the conference, which is renowned for its quality networking, idea-sharing format, and coveted awards ceremony.
“One of my goals in attending GCEC was to make Hampden-Sydney's name known within the global entrepreneurship community. I wanted us to have a presence, contribute to the conversations, share what we're building, and establish relationships that could create opportunities for our students,” says King, who believes in active engagement and promotes it in the center’s programs. “We aren’t content with simple presence. Our time there allowed us to contribute to the conference. Our nomination was a result of our emphasis on student participation, leadership, ownership of initiatives, venture creation, community engagement, and institutional impact.”
Economics major and Flemming Fellow PJ Reel ’28 has experienced this focused involvement firsthand. “I’ve worked with the Flemming Center since my sophomore year, and in that time, I’ve been trained and encouraged to refine and pitch my business ideas in competitions from Richmond, to Charlottesville, to Indiana,” he says. “The Flemming Center believes in us and gives us a comfortable space to voice ideas and encourage our brothers in their entrepreneurial ventures. This award is well-deserved.”
The recognition stands to bolster the Flemming Center’s student-focused mission, with the award judges offering encouraging feedback on student leadership and the strength and scalability of the center’s programming.
“The panel commended how deeply student-led our entrepreneurial ecosystem is, specifically recognizing students' roles in developing initiatives such as our newsletter, podcasts, and community workshops,” King notes. “The judges also acknowledged our strong portfolio of programs and well-structured operational framework, recognizing how these elements position the center for continued growth and innovation.”
The award is yet another result of the Flemming Center’s diligent efforts and its continued commitment to its guiding mission of developing an entrepreneurial mindset while helping young men become creative problem-solvers, confident communicators, thoughtful leaders, and individuals willing to take initiative when faced with uncertainty.