July 11, 2022
Barber named acting director of the Miller School of Entrepreneurship
Dr. Dennis Barber III is the new acting director for the College of Business’ Miller School of Entrepreneurship. He will step in for Dr. Mike Harris, who became the COB’s interim dean July 1.
Barber (BSBA ’04) came to the College in 2017 as an assistant professor. Since then, Barber has gained tenure, became an associate professor and been named the Chesnutt-Bond Distinguished Scholar of Entrepreneurship. As the acting director, Barber will be responsible for maintaining and creating programming that drives student success, public service and regional transformation. He will oversee the Crisp Small Business Resource Center and the soon-to-open Isley Innovation Hub. Barber will ensure the Miller School will continue to be an entrepreneurial epicenter for ECU students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community for creating, growing and sustaining businesses or business ideas.
“Mike (Harris) has built a great reputation for the program across campus and within our alumni base,” said Barber. “The support we received (and continue to receive) speaks volumes for the work the Miller School team has done. I look forward to leading the Miller School team through the next stage of growth and opportunity.”
“Dennis has played a strong role in helping the Miller School grow in reputation and importance, both here in eastern North Carolina and nationally,” said Harris. “I expect that same passion and drive to continue as the acting director. The ECU community and the region are in strong hands.”
Barber’s areas of applied research include rural entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship education and pedagogy, economic development, public policy and entrepreneurial attitudes. He founded the Rural Entrepreneurship Special Interest Group with the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) and co-developed USASBE’s Rural Entrepreneurship Education Certificate program.
Barber is the coeditor-in-chief for the Journal of Small Business Strategy. He has served as a guest editor for multiple special issues on rural entrepreneurship and education with leading field journals. His work has been published in the Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Journal of Small Business Strategy, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, the Journal of Business Venturing Insights, and Annals of Entrepreneurship Education & Pedagogy, among others.