# NYU Stern’s Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Receives 1st OPEL Award

1 Press Releases September 6, 2011>

![debra-ellen glickstein and dean
gary fraser](/sites/default/files/assets/images/con_031594.jpg)Loretta Poole (left) and Cynthia Franklin (right)

NYU Stern’s [Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center/index.htm) received the first annual 2011 OPEL Award, recognizing the Center’s entrepreneurial leadership, this fall. Presented by Brian S. Cohen, vice chairman of the New York Angels, at the 2011 New York Tech Meetup in NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, the award recognized the significant contributions of Stern’s Berkley Center, which provides students with real-world, hands-on experiences in entrepreneurship through co-curricular programs and offers students, alumni, faculty and staff a platform to launch new ventures or accelerate the growth of existing ones. The Berkley Center team includes [Jeff Carr](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/jeffrey-carr), executive director; [Jill Kickul](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/jill-kickul), director of social entrepreneurship; [Cynthia Franklin](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/cynthia-franklin), senior associate director; Loretta Poole, associate director; and Patricia Miller-Edwards, administrative aide.

Read the recent [press release](http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-new-york-angels-announce-the-first-new-york-city-opel-award-winner-at-the-new-york-tech-meetup-128712708.html). ###  Learn more about Stern's W.R. Berkley Innovation Lab (iLab)

[![Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation](/sites/default/files/assets/images/con_031592.jpg)](/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center)

###  Upcoming Events

- [Entrepreneurs' Challenge, 2011-2012 Semi-finalist Teams  ](/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center/programs/venture-competitions/dates-deadlines)
- [New Ventue Showcase, ](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center/events/index.htm)Feb. 15, 2012 from 5-7:30 pm, Tisch Hall, Patron's Lobby
- [Social Entrepreneurship Conference](/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/berkley-center/programs/social-entrepreneurship/annual-conference-of-social-entrepreneurs)