Reka Barabas

I teach entrepreneurship and manage experiential entrepreneurship programs at the College. I love to design learning experiences that help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset and connect them to the local entrepreneurship network. I believe entrepreneurs are ambitious and optimistic problem solvers who need a strong support network to be successful.

Over the past 15+ years, I have run accelerator programs and worked with various groups of entrepreneurs, including college and high school student entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, international entrepreneurs, and social enterprises.

For me, the most rewarding part of teaching is discovering each student’s unique ambitions and guiding them through concrete steps toward those goals. Nothing is more energizing than watching students realize their own power to make a positive impact.

I am a lifelong learner and most recently completed the OEDA Ohio Economic Development course and am working on an Entrepreneurial Mindset Facilitator certification. I hold a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Case Western Reserve University and a master's degree in Education and German from Bowling Green State University.

A graduate of the Cleveland Bridge Builders leadership program, I was also recognized as a Crain's 40 Under 40 and often serve as a panelist, facilitator, competition judge, mentor, or guest presenter.

In my free time, I listen to show choirs and a cappella groups, I bake, and I read. I especially enjoy reading behavioral science books that explore how habits are formed, how people make decisions, and how culture influences our everyday lives.