About Entrepreneurship at NCSSM

Entreprendre: To undertake

The Colopy Entrepreneurship Program at NCSSM was established in 2024 through a generous donation from the Colopy family, whose shared vision is to inspire innovation and opportunity among young leaders. Rooted in NCSSM’s mission of interdisciplinary and experiential learning, the program empowers students to explore entrepreneurship through hands-on workshops, mentorship opportunities, and access to resources like microgrants and accelerators. By integrating business principles with creative problem-solving, the Colopy Program equips students to launch ventures that address real-world challenges, bridging the gap between classroom learning and impactful community engagement.

Program Leadership & Faculty

Chip Bobbert

Director, Colopy

Entrepreneurship Program

Chip has spent 25 years in education as a program developer, technologist, funder, and policy advocate where his focus has been turning emerging technologies into impactful services. As a funder, he has advocated for and enabled numerous programs focused on technology enabled education and alternative pathways. At Duke University, he spent a decade as a senior technologist and Innovation Architect, building one of the largest and most recognized programs of its kind in higher education and earned a listing among the Top 50 by Newsweek Magazine. He frequently collaborates with innovators, entrepreneurs, and funders and has been involved in developing numerous products, services, publications, and inventions. Chip also co-founded Construct3D—a company focused on professional development and the national dialogue around Innovation Centers. Through this outlet, he is a frequent speaker on Industry 4.0, educational technologies and pedogogical paradigm shifts. His current focus is on next-generation digital credentials, microlearning and pathways, which combine to guide learners on their career journey in ways never before possible. He has worked on implementing these technologies and pushed for the development of a $15 million fund to support these programs.

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Taylor Gibson

Dean, Data Science and Interdisciplinary Initiatives

Taylor Gibson has served as the Dean of Data Science and Interdisciplinary Initiatives since 2022. In this role he helps develop new data science and interdisciplinary coursework and collaborates with faculty from all departments to deliver these new opportunities to students across all of NCSSM’s campuses and programs. Previously Taylor was a member of the mathematics faculty from 2013 to 2022, serving as the Dean of Mathematics from 2018 to 2022. In the Mathematics Department he helped create new courses in cryptography and data science and piloted a new standards-based grading approach to assessment. Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in mathematics education from the University of Georgia.

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Chad Keister

Instructor of Economics and Social Science

Chad Keister is a Pennsylvania native, but a Tar Heel at heart. Chad is passionate about teaching, collaborating with colleagues, and working with students on projects related to creativity and innovation. As a member of the humanities faculty, he has taught a variety of residential courses including AP Economics, Contemporary Challenges in Economics, International Relations, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and Applications in Entrepreneurship. Through NCSSM’s Distance Education and Extended Programs, Chad has taught International Relations, Western Political Thought, and AP Economics. He also developed the Mini-Term course Walden Redux or How I Learned to Love Life More, Screen-Less. Before NCSSM, Chad was a faculty member of Enloe Magnet High School. While at Enloe, he served as department chair and taught IB Theory of Knowledge, AP Economics, AP US Government and Politics, and various other social science courses. Prior to teaching, Chad was a social worker in Pittsburgh helping people transition from welfare to work. He holds a BA in political science from the University of Pittsburgh and an MS in education from Duquesne University. Chad is a serious Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

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Ed Hallyburton

Instructor of Business

Ed Hallyburton is a Business, Marketing, and AP Computer Science instructor at East Burke High School in Connelly Springs, North Carolina. He has led the Microsoft Academy Certification in Excel and Access, advised the Yearbook program, and partnered with military recruiters to support students in exploring career opportunities in the armed forces. With over 20 years of experience in business management and a foundation in Special Education, Mr. Hallyburton brings both real-world insight and classroom expertise to his teaching. His professional interests include cybersecurity, economic development, and agriculture—areas he has championed through cybersecurity training at Virginia Tech, GenCyber programming sponsored by the NSF and NSA, and presentations at statewide conferences including the Bridging the Gap STEM Conference at NC State.

Beyond the classroom, Mr. Hallyburton is deeply involved in civic leadership. He has chaired the Burke County Planning Board, currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Burke County Board of Adjustment, and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Burke County Chamber of Commerce. He was instrumental in founding the Valdese Economic Development and Incentive Corporation (VEDIC), a job-creation initiative serving six counties. He holds a degree in Human Services from Gardner-Webb University and completed Basic Law Enforcement Training at Western Piedmont Community College. A graduate of the Rural Economic Development Institute at the NC Rural Center, Mr. Hallyburton is also a certified Ice House and REAL Entrepreneurship facilitator, a Region 1B Director for the North Carolina Association of Educators, a certified Driver Education Instructor, and a licensed, active Real Estate Broker.