2024年4月11日
The Jameson ’02 和 Jennifer Engerer ’02 Troutman Susquehanna Entrepreneurship Fund provides seed money for all students taking the capstone course in the 西格蒙德·韦斯商学院’ 创业 major. 另外, all other students regardless of major can apply for up to $2,000 annually from this fund for their business 和 can apply multiple times if they show growth 和 development of the business.
The Troutmans were motivated to establish the fund due to their family’s own strong entrepreneurial spirit. Jameson’s father 和 his mother’s extended family both started their own businesses 和 Jennifer also runs her own digital 市场营销 business.
“Whether you want to start 和 run your own business or not, the values 和 experiences of the entrepreneur can benefit everybody,特劳特曼夫妇说. “Small businesses are very important to our national economy 和 countries around the world. We were excited that we could support an innovative program like this at our alma mater to foster curiosity 和 help power the small-business spirit among the next generation of innovators.”
The Troutmans’ funding led to the first 学生 Startup Market, which featured 20 students — both from within the 创业 capstone course 和 beyond — selling their own products, from professional services to fitness 和 wellness products 和 more. 每位参与者都获得了100美元.
“We were able to 牧师olutionize the Entrepreneurial Experience capstone course because of the funding made possible by the Troutmans,” 劳伦·史密斯，讲师 管理 和 市场营销. “In this class, students are tasked with launching a ‘side-hustle.今年, we could provide initial funding 和 opportunities for further funding rounds for each of the business ventures in the class. The excitement 和 spirit that came with guaranteed funding was unmatched.”
The Entrepreneurial Experience capstone course is required for 创业 & 企业创新 majors 和 minors 和 can be taken as an elective by students who meet the prerequisites.
副业展示
通过她的商业冒险， 回收的跑道, Griffin creates fun 和 unique fashion for Gen Z women by upcycling thrifted 和 secondh和 clothes for purchase by embellishing items with unique iron-on designs. She also offers kits so customers can upcycle 和 DIY clothes or accessories they already own.
“There are a lot of entrepreneurs in my family, so I grew up with an appreciation for working for yourself,格里芬说。.
Her business combines her passions — sustainability 和 fashion.
“I love to shop for fun fashion 和 clothes like printed jeans, but all the stores I found that sold what I was looking for were unethical fast fashion retailers like Shein,格里芬说。. “That’s what encouraged me to combine my interests together to create this project.”
Griffin used her funding to help purchase supplies 和 the materials she used on her table at the 学生 Startup Market.
“It would have definitely been hard for me to put out the money on my own to purchase all my start-up supplies 和 materials,格里芬说。. “Without the funding, I would have been a lot less likely to start my business in the first place.”
毕业后, Giffin plans to pursue a career in digital 市场营销 or social media, preferably in the Philadelphia region. She also plans to continue 和 grow her 回收的跑道 side hustle.
Ryan Rorls ’25 is a business 管理 major with a minor in data analytics from Frederick, 马里兰, 谁的商业冒险, 糖 & Ry, specializes in h和crafted, elegant 和 high-quality baked goods. She established the business in 2020.
The funding Rorls received helped her to buy premium ingredients for her baked goods, 包括纯香草豆沙, 爱尔兰奶油, King Arthur all-purpose flour 和 organic lemons, as well as attractive packaging to keep them fresh 和 appealing, 她说. The funding also allowed her to “spruce up” her table at the 学生 Startup Market.
Rorls plans to continue nurturing 和 exp和ing her baking business while pursuing her postgraduate career in project 管理, with the idea of leveraging the valuable experiences 和 skills she gains from her career to enhance 和 streamline operations within her business.
“My goal is to create a synergistic relationship between my career 和 my business, allowing each to complement 和 enrich the other as I embark on this journey of 创业 和 professional development,罗尔斯说. “Participating in the 学生 Startup Market allowed me to showcase my h和crafted treats 和 connect with fellow entrepreneurs who share my dedication. Telling the story behind each of my creations reinforced my belief that baking is about creating connections 和 spreading happiness one bite at a time.”