"Celebrating Success" will honor students, businesses and faculty members who have taken part in a collaboration between the community, the college and, in particular, its Small Business Institute.

The luncheon is scheduled to take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Grand Salon of the University Student Union on the east side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

Through the Small Business Institute, students, with faculty supervision, provide free consulting to local small businesses and grassroots organizations. In the process, the students learn how businesses work and apply knowledge from their courses in trying to help the businesses.

"Businesses using the institute get professional-quality consulting reports, such as marketing and business plans, as well as the opportunity to mentor budding entrepreneurs," Cours said. "Owner/operators of small businesses demonstrate the passion and dedication of running a business, enabling students to envision starting a business one day on their own, cognizant of the challenges, and occasionally tedious tasks, they may face."

At the luncheon, business owners who have received consulting from the Small Business Institute over its 25-year history will be honored with "Certificates of Success" and faculty who have worked with the institute over the years also will receive recognition for their hard work and dedication.

The institute recently expanded its programs to offer consultations regarding business law problems, a partnership in which master's in business administration. A students produce business and functional plans for clients of the North Los Angeles County Small Business Development Center, and the creation of a new capstone course that will produce business plans, such as those needed in small business loan packaging.

Recognizing the increased interest in entrepreneurship, the college created the Center for Small Business and Entrepreneurship last October. The center provides hands-on educational opportunities for students while providing services to the community such as service-learning partnerships with the Small Business Institute, workshops, seminars and the support of relevant applied research.

"The center will prepare students to be effective entrepreneurs, small business owners and consultants to those types of firms," Cours said. "The center will coordinate interdisciplinary curriculum and programs to best meet the needs of students and the local community."

Cours said the center plans to launch a speakers series as well as a mentoring program in which successful entrepreneurs will engage in one-on-one coaching and group networking opportunities with students.

For more information about the Center for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, visit its web site at www.csun.edu/csbe or call (818) 677-6646.