Delgado and Cox Communications Announce 2nd Annual Small Business Growth Academy

June 17, 2020

Delgado Community College and Cox Communications have partnered to provide business development training to their diverse suppliers located in the Greater New Orleans and Greater Atlanta areas via Delgado’s distance learning platform.

This is the second year Cox Communications is funding the eight-week program, called the Small Business Growth Academy, and Delgado’s second year offering online business education to through its Workforce Development division.

Due to COVID-19, the 2nd Annual Small Business Growth Academy will be delivered completely online.

Enrollment is limited to 30 participants, and the deadline to enroll is Thursday, July 16, 2020. The online program starts on Saturday, July 18, 2020.

Non-suppliers of Cox who are certified minority-owned businesses may apply, but current suppliers of the company have preference for enrollment. Participants who complete the program will earn continuing education units.

Program participants will learn core skills related to business management and sustainability topics including accounting, organizational performance and project management. Participants will also receive guidance on developing growth strategies specific to their businesses. Delgado faculty will lead program modules.

To learn more about the program and enroll, go to www.dcc.edu/go/cox, or contact Khalid Gross, Delgado Community College Workforce Development, 504-671-5563, kgross@dcc.edu.

In addition to supporting the development of minority-owned businesses and funding the Small Business Growth Academy at Delgado, Cox Communications is committed to bridging the digital divide in economically distressed communities.

Access to technology at home is critical to the quality of a student’s education, yet many students in America do not have internet access. Since the COVID-19 pandemic caused educational institutions across the country to close, the company has seen substantial growth in the number of people signing up for their Connect2Compete program. 

Since 2012, more than 700,000 people have connected to the internet via the Connect2Compete program. Another community service is the Cox Digital Academy, launched in 2017, that equips children and parents to maximize the power of the internet with online tools. 

Cox officials have determined that internet access is an important first step, but digital literacy must be maximized to close the digital divide for low-income individuals and enable them to compete in the modern marketplace. Through a relationship with PCs for People, eligible families have access to affordable quality equipment.  More information about the program is at cox.pcsrefurbished.com. 

Cox has provided millions of dollars in relief efforts for residential customers during the COVID-19 crisis. Their focus has been on offering four months of free Connect2Compete services and eliminating data usage overages. They have worked directly with school systems to expedite the application process in order to get students connected quickly.

Statement from Past Small Business Growth Academy Participant

“The program not only allowed me to connect to opportunities, but it has also helped me to improve my budgeting skills, develop a marketing strategy, and build valuable relationships. With the knowledge I have obtained from this program, I was able to increase my company revenue by 50%. I am so grateful and appreciative that I was able to participate.” -- Krystal Deal, Owner, CDC Cleaning Services, LLC

Statements from Cox Communications

“We are excited to partner for the second year with Delgado Community College, on the Small Business Growth Academy.  This scholarship program provides a continuing education opportunity that supports the leadership development, operational sustainability, and improved scalability of qualified, diverse suppliers in the geographic regions where Cox operates. The goals of this program are to strengthen the Cox supply chain, increase the commitment to supplier diversity, and accelerate growth for the diverse supplier businesses.”  -- Michael Glorioso, Supplier Pillar Lead for Cox Communications I&D Council

“Cox is proud to partner with Delgado in expanding the 2020 Cox Communications Small Business Growth Academy by offering small business education scholarships to diverse business owners. This goes hand in hand with the Cox Connect2Compete program which provides qualified families with the online resources necessary for learning and communicating with teachers so they can stay connected via the internet.” -- Kevin Monroe, Market Vice President for Cox Communications New Orleans

Statement from Delgado Community College

“Access to education is the essential core of our mission, and we work hard to eliminate all boundaries that may be presented by economic status, educational background, ethnicity, location, or any other factors that might hinder or prevent an individual from achieving success. The alignment of our mission with the objectives of Cox Communications comes at a perfect time to achieve the lasting impact we seek to have in the communities we serve, particularly those that are disadvantaged.” – Arlanda Williams, Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development and Institutional Advancement, Technical Division Dean, Delgado Community College

Delgado Community College will celebrate 100 years of service to the New Orleans region in 2021. The oldest and largest community college in Louisiana, Delgado provides instruction online and at seven locations. Delgado offers students the most comprehensive array of education and training services available in the New Orleans region. Additionally, Delgado has articulation agreements with most of the state’s four-year colleges and universities that allow students to transfer their Delgado credits to bachelor’s degree programs. As well as offering degrees and transferable college credits, Delgado provides diplomas and certificates in many professional and technical areas. Workforce development is a priority at Delgado, hence the college’s well-known motto: “Education that works!” www.dcc.edu