Member Name:  Melissa Crawford

Email:  melissa.crawford@sbcc.edu

Residence: Santa Barbara, CA

Organization:  Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation @ Santa Barbara City College

Occupation:  Director

First job: I ran the Swan Ride at a small farm in a Connecticut town where I grew up.  It entailed cleaning goose excrement from the dock every morning to get ready for the patrons.  Little did I know that this job would serve as a metaphor for my future!

Philosophy: Manifestation through positive concentration and hard work.

Favorite Music: I have the great fortune of going to outdoor concerts at the Bowl in Santa Barbara.  My favorites have included Stevie Wonder, Ben Harper, Jackson Browne, Black-Eyed Peas, Jack Johnson, and Paul Simon.

Favorite TV show or movie: I don’t watch TV!  Favorite movie is “Harold & Maude.”

Favorite book:  Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Favorite pastime:  Sharing a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino over a handmade pasta dinner with my husband in a remote Tuscan village.

What got me interested in my work: I am honored to have the opportunity to serve my community in the area of entrepreneurship and be part of something that will impact students’ lives and maybe even boost the local economy. I am hoping to build a program that will serve as a model for other colleges.

Greatest accomplishment: My 16 year old daughter who is mature and intelligent, with a penchant for international community service in far away places.

Success is...making it work!

Pet Peeve: Negative thinkers, fear mongers, and authoritarians. I like entrepreneurs and innovators who are naturally positive thinkers, and leaders that inspire!

Favorite Quote: “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." – Kierkegaard

Current Projects: We are excited to have finished our new website (http://scheinfeld.sbcc.edu) and are working to shape the future of the Scheinfeld Center.  Some initiatives we are working on include a networking site for students and local businesses, a Q&A database for local entrepreneurs and small businesses, and developing a collaborative and robust interdisciplinary entrepreneurship curriculum that accelerates budding entrepreneurs and helps small businesses grow and stay current.