Ying Zhou, Executive Director of the Tech Incubator at Queens College, Will Help Expand Services to Flushing Entrepreneurs in New Role at College’s Small Business Development Outreach Center
—QC and LaGuardia Community College jointly launched a small business development outreach center at QC as part of LaGuardia’s SBDC in 2019, with support from U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng—
Flushing, NY, March 26, 2024—Queens College President Frank H. Wu has named Ying Zhou interim associate director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Queens College Outreach Center, a satellite site of the LaGuardia Community College SBDC. Zhou will work part time in her new role and continue to serve as the executive director of the Tech Incubator at Queens College (TIQC), where she began in 2016. In a unique partnership, Queens College and LaGuardia Community College jointly established an SBDC presence on the Queens College campus in 2019, with support from U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Queens).
“The college is deeply fortunate to have Ying Zhou assume the position of interim associate director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Queens College Outreach Center,” said Wu. “Ying’s more than five years’ experience as executive director of the Tech Incubator at Queens College (TIQC) uniquely positions her to effectively increase the center’s engagement with local small businesses in District #6 so that they might benefit from the center’s free resources. Ying will also be able to build on the community relationships that she continues to forge through her work at TIQC, which is thriving under her leadership. We expect that she’ll be able to hit the ground running on a campaign to raise awareness of the small business development outreach center among constituents who may not yet be aware of what the QC location has to offer.”
As interim associate director reporting to Queens-LaGuardia SBDC Director Rosa Figueroa, Zhou will maintain relationships with college faculty and administrative and support staff to enhance the quality, diversity, and timeliness of services; prepare internal program reports and assist in the preparation of externally mandated reports; maintain a client counseling caseload and provide support to staff in their counseling needs; represent and assist the director in public outreach efforts, such as engaging with public- and private-facing organizations; and assist in the supervision of all staff functions.
“I am excited to further explore the power of creativity, the importance of continuous learning, and the transformative impact of technology on small businesses,” said Zhou. “In business, creativity ignites passion, learning makes it sustainable, and technology drives new growth and scalability. Together, they propel entrepreneurs forward, turning visions into realities in an ever-evolving digital landscape.”
The Queens College center serves immigrant entrepreneurs and other underrepresented populations of Flushing, Queens, with assistance offered in English and Mandarin. The center is located at Queens College, Kissena Hall, 64-19 Kissena Boulevard, opposite the main campus.
In her role as executive director of TIQC, Zhou has led its direction and growth, contributing to its operational excellence. She fosters innovation, digital transformation, and interdisciplinary collaboration, while ensuring that the incubator remains a vital resource hub for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and small business owners. She provides strategic leadership, handles fundraising and grant acquisition, drives community engagement and program development, and manages stakeholder relations and marketing and branding.
Zhou holds an MBA and PhD in Accounting from Baruch College and The Graduate Center, the City University of New York, respectively. She resides in Flushing.
-30-