{"id":183019,"date":"2023-09-06T11:52:55","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T21:52:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=183019"},"modified":"2023-09-06T12:12:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T22:12:34","slug":"kauai-cc-veteran-professor-sba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/06\/kauai-cc-veteran-professor-sba\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaua\u02bbi CC<\/abbr> associate professor\u2019s work with veterans wins small business award"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>
\"Dirk
Dirk Soma (right) with nominator Robbie Melton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kauaʻi<\/span> Community College<\/a> Associate Professor Dirk Soma has been named the 2023 U.S.<\/abbr> Small Business Association Veteran Small Business Champion for the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> district.<\/p>\n

A graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Soma has spent many years engaging the community in both the private and public sectors. He was instrumental in bringing the first Start-up Training Resources to Inspire Veteran Entrepreneurs (STRIVE<\/abbr>) Program to Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr>, and served as lead instructor.<\/p>\n

The nine-week program is open to veterans, their spouses and dependants and those with one year left of active duty. Each participant is able to pitch their concepts to a panel of judges for a chance to secure seed funding to further develop their businesses.<\/p>\n

Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> was also one of only five community colleges across the nation to be admitted into the STRIVE<\/abbr> Program by the D\u2019Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University. Those completing the STRIVE<\/abbr> Program are considered Syracuse alumni and are eligible to receive all of the alumni benefits.<\/p>\n

“I am honored to be recognized for this award, but it is through the efforts of many, like Alicia Sams, Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> student veteran counselor, the Kauaʻi<\/span> Veterans Council and Kauaʻi<\/span> industry members that allows us to serve those in our community who have given so much of themselves,” Soma said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dirk Soma is the 2023 Veteran Small Business Champion in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[498,734,598,64],"class_list":["post-183019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-business","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-faculty-recognition","tag-kauai-community-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t