Interested in starting or growing your own business? Penn State Hazleton, the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress and the Small Business Development Center at Wilkes University (SBDC) are sponsoring a series of seminars geared to assist entrepreneurs.

"Steps to Starting and Growing Your Own Business” will provide detailed information for those seeking to become full-time or part-time entrepreneurs. There is no fee for any of the seminars and attendees can choose to come to any individual session or all sessions.

Sessions are scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, Sept. 12: Feasibility, Structure, Licensing and Registration. Presented by the SBDC at the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, 8 W. Broad St., Hazleton, from 5 to 6 p.m. Those planning to attend should register with the Chamber at www.hazletonchamber.org or by calling 570-455-1509.

Wednesday, Sept. 19: Preparing a Business Plan and Financial Projections. Presented by the SBDC at the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce from 5 to 6 p.m. Those planning to attend should register with the Chamber at www.hazletonchamber.org or by calling 570-455-1509.

Wednesday, Oct. 17: Diversity Action Plan for Businesses and Organizations featuring speaker Joyce Marie Ramos Gomez de Avila. Presented by Penn State Hazleton in Room 115 of the Evelyn Graham Academic Building from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Avila is the president of her own company, CAFÉ (Creating and Facilitating Equality). She organizes and facilitates workshops in the areas of diversity, life change and transition, leadership, communication, conflict resolution, stress management and self-care.

Previously, Avila was director for Northeastern Pennsylvania Diversity Education Consortium, assistant director for Diversity Institute and diversity director for Keystone College. She also continues work across the nation as a minority leadership trainer for the National Education Association and adjunct professor for Keystone College and Misericordia University. She holds a master’s degree in bilingual/bicultural education and worked as a classroom teacher in Puerto Rico, Brooklyn NYC Public School, Bethlehem Area School District and Pocono Mountain School District. At Pocono Mountain, she created and implemented the English as a Second Language program. In 2006, she was nominated and selected as a role model for young women in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Commission for Women and featured in their book called “Voices: African American and Latina Women in Pennsylvania Share Their Stories of Success.”

Those planning to attend should register with Penn State Hazleton by emailing Director of Continuing Education Deb Conway at or calling 570-450-3110.

Nov. 12-16: Global Entrepreneurship Week. A series of speakers will present at Penn State Hazleton, with details to be announced at hazleton.psu.edu.