Experiential learning approaches have been found to stimulate entrepreneurial intention and cultivate the development of entrepreneurial skills and competencies. This study aimed to explore strategies for incorporating community-based experiential learning activities into an online agribusiness entrepreneurship class. First, a student profile survey was conducted at the beginning of the semester to gain information regarding students’ location, educational background, professional experience, and entrepreneurship ideas. Second, students were tasked with developing a structured business plan through scaffolding assignments, such as company mission and credo, feasibility analysis, legal paperwork, marketing plan, startup cost, sales projection, and loan proposal. All the assignments were applied in a way that was closely connected to the students’ entrepreneurial community environment. For example, students used census data to describe the business location and the demographics of the target customers. Third, the instructor collaborated with a local farm supply store and winery to provide virtual tours of their facilities. Meanwhile, each student was asked to visit a local agribusiness and interview their managers/entrepreneurs about their managerial practices. Fourth, students identified the nearest Small Business Development Centers to seek consulting services and other resources they may offer to improve their business plans. The interactions between students and community organizations provided excellent opportunities to create and exchange business knowledge and resources. On the course evaluation, students commended the course content as being valuable, deep, and challenging, compared to similar courses that only scratched the surface of entrepreneurship. They also appreciated the various community engagement activities, such as virtual and in-person trips and abundant resources catering to the students’ location. The teaching experience from this online agribusiness entrepreneurship class offers invaluable insights into effectively implementing community-based experiential learning activities in a virtual environment. The strategies employed in this class can easily be adapted and applied to various other course settings.
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