Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) business students joined forces with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) this spring to establish an internship experience to generate direct impact for local businesses, while developing students’ professional skills.
The program required careful coordination between the university and the TSBDC to ensure it would meet both educational and business support objectives. Turning the vision into reality wasn’t without its challenges.
“Like any new initiative, this internship program depended on strong community support to get off the ground,” said center director Dave Dessauer. “With the help of the university, community and corporate partners, we turned this vision into a reality, creating meaningful, hands-on experiences for students while delivering value to the small businesses we serve. Their belief in the power of collaboration made this pilot possible and impactful. We’re excited to see this program continue into the future.”
This community-driven approach proved essential in giving students the opportunity to put their academic knowledge into practice in real-world scenarios.
Alongside Dessauer, student interns Citlali Dominguez, Donald Morse, Tonya Mull, Jaire Tariq Richardson, Madysson Tibbs and Kade Tjaarda developed comprehensive business plans, created marketing strategies, designed websites, and provided financial insights for five local businesses during the semester.
“This community will transcend all of us,” Richardson said during an end-of-semester presentation.” To know that we played a part in small businesses in the area for the years to come is tremendous.”
While each intern took primary responsibility for specific clients, the team leveraged their diverse skills to provide comprehensive solutions. An accounting major might partner with marketing students to ensure financial projections aligned with promotional strategies, while finance specialists contributed to brand development discussions.
Beyond client work, the team created lasting resources for the TSBDC, including a “Concepts to Capital” guide for business owners seeking funding and a comprehensive marketing guide offering step-by-step solutions for businesses to strengthen their brands. At the time of their presentation, their work was already paying off, as one client was able to start generating revenue for their company.
“Everything we learned in class about brand development was actually directly applied to helping these businesses succeed,” Dominguez said.
Dessauer added that the students’ effectiveness has helped establish foundational processes for future intern groups.
“Their work has set a high standard for the program’s continuation, demonstrating how student talent can directly impact local business growth,” he said.
About the Tennessee Small Business Development Center at APSU
The Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at Austin Peay State University is dedicated to helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper by providing confidential, no-cost business consulting, training, and resources. Its employees work in partnership with entrepreneurs to equip them with the tools they need to make the best decision for their business ownership goals.
For more information, visit https://tsbdc.org/center/clarksville/ or contact Dave Dessauer at ddessauer@tsbdc.org.
