The Technology Entrepreneur Center is pleased to announce that Terry Cole “TC" has joined our team as the Assistant Director of Academic Programs and Academic Advisor and will advise students and coordinate efforts of the new Innovation Leadership Engineering and Entrepreneurship (ILEE) dual-degree.
TC brings a diverse background with eight years of experience working with students on campus. Most recently, he served as an academic advisor in the College of Media managing a caseload of more than 300 students. He met with and inspired, mentored, and motivated prospective and current students while managing the administrative duties for their certificate program. He also led the campus-wide recruitment and outreach efforts for the College of Media. Prior to his role in media, TC held positions with the Office of Minority Student Affairs, the Campus Center for Advising and Academic Services, the Varsity I-Fund, and the University Library.
“I’m excited about helping student maximize their experience while they are attending Illinois,” says Cole. “TEC provides students with the opportunity to add valuable skills on top of the expertise they are learning from their designated major. Whether it is an Engineering student looking to gain additional skills via the ILEE degree or students in various majors that have a passion or even a curiosity in entrepreneurship, TEC is full of opportunities to help students learn more or to further develop an existing idea or business.”
TC holds a Master of Education (Ed.M.) and a Bachelor’s of Science in Recreation, Sports and Tourism, both from the University of Illinois.
As the Assistant Director of Academic Programs, TC will be responsible for the helping to formally launch the new ILEE degree, recruit and advise students, and manage the TEC courses and certificates, among other responsibilities.
“My plan is to promote TEC to the entire campus so that all students on campus have an opportunity to add skills that will compliment what they are learning in the major,” says Cole. “I will also be concentrating on continuing to build the ILEE degree program with the College of Engineering’s elite students.”