Dallas, Texas – In line with its long‑range Dallas College 2035 plan, Dallas College unveiled a new nonprofit corporation called Dallas College Enterprise Ventures. Established by the Dallas College Foundation, the entity will seek mission‑aligned revenue opportunities, strategic investments and partnerships that bolster the college’s financial sustainability while expanding educational pathways for students across North Texas.

Leadership and vision

Chancellor Dr. Justin H. Lonon appointed Michelle Williams as executive director of Enterprise Ventures. Williams brings a track record of entrepreneurship, economic‑development work and partnership building. Lonon said, “Enterprise Ventures gives Dallas College a new mechanism for putting our assets, expertise and partnerships to work in ways that can generate sustainable resources and accelerate innovation.” He added that the initiative asks, “How can we use the full strength of Dallas College to help more people achieve their potential through education?”

Strategic focus areas

The nonprofit will develop a self‑sustaining portfolio of ventures in four primary sectors: technology, real‑estate, workforce innovation and other areas that align with the college’s mission. By identifying, evaluating and scaling opportunities, Enterprise Ventures aims to create a steady flow of revenue that will be reinvested directly into student‑success initiatives, workforce training programs and broader community impact projects throughout the Dallas region.

First partnership

One of the inaugural projects is a partnership with Axio, an education‑technology firm that builds AI‑supported tools for modernizing college courses. Enterprise Ventures has invested in Axio while simultaneously piloting its software on campus, giving students and faculty early access to cutting‑edge teaching resources.

Board of directors

The board guiding Enterprise Ventures includes seasoned leaders from business and investment circles:

• Jim Adams – Board Chair, with more than two decades leading family offices and managing venture‑capital and education‑technology investments.
• Valerie Freeman – Co‑founder and CEO of BravoTECH, investor in multiple technology and women‑owned ventures.
• Wendy Lopez – Entrepreneur and corporate executive who now invests in high‑growth startups.

These directors bring expertise in scaling companies, fostering innovation and aligning private‑sector resources with public‑good outcomes.

Impact on students and the community

By turning the college’s existing assets—its talent pool, facilities and industry relationships—into revenue‑generating ventures, Dallas College hopes to reduce reliance on state funding and tuition hikes. The model promises to keep tuition affordable, expand scholarships and fund new workforce‑training programs that match the needs of local employers.

“Higher education has extraordinary assets, talent, expertise, infrastructure and partnerships that can be activated in new ways,” Williams said. “Our opportunity is to bring those strengths together with an entrepreneurial mindset, building ventures, investing strategically and developing partnerships that generate new resources for Dallas College while expanding what is possible for our students and the communities we serve.”

Looking ahead

Enterprise Ventures will continue scouting for opportunities that align with Dallas College’s mission, from real‑estate projects that provide affordable student housing to technology incubators that nurture local startups. The college expects the venture’s earnings to grow steadily, creating a reliable financial engine that supports long‑term educational excellence and regional economic vitality.

Local leaders and business partners have welcomed the initiative, noting that it reflects a proactive, faith‑guided approach to stewardship and community service. As Dallas College moves forward, the enterprise model may serve as a blueprint for other institutions seeking to blend education, entrepreneurship and community impact.

Original reporting: Branch Herald (Carrollton / Farmers Branch, local news) — read the source article.