Entrepreneurship Everywhere!
Each November, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) inspires people everywhere through local, national, and global events that help them explore their potential as innovators and self-starters. Here’s a look at the events Penn State Altoona held for GEW 2017.
Student Entrepreneur Panel
College is a great time to start a business. Four Penn State Altoona students talked about their passion to start their own business, their successes, challenges, future plans, and how Penn State Altoona is helping them to achieve their goals. As pictured above (L-R), the panel included: Tim Campolong, Home Service Center; Jordan McCall, J&J Outdoors; Laura Shaeffer, LaDaDa Beauty; and Kayla Boucher, Kayla’s House Cleaning Service.
Conversation with Successful Women Entrepreneurs
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Dr. Laura Bell, co-owner of Advanced Chiropractic (left) with Dr. Arela Rivas, owner of Blair County Acupuncture, shared their experience and advice during an afternoon session at Altoona LaunchBox.
Business Bootcamp: Writing Your Business Plan
Penn State Altoona partnered with the Small Business Development Center to offer a session titled Writing Your Business Plan, focusing on requisite elements of and the importance of a having a strong business plan.
Entrepreneur in Residence
Penn State Altoona students met one-on-one with Sarah Vogel, owner and artist, The Clay Cup, to learn about her business experiences and garner feedback on their big ideas and career goals.
Fast Track to Success
The Sheetz Fellows hosted Fast Track To Success, with more than 50 students networking with eight local business professionals. The two-hour session offered students the opportunity to gain insight, perspective, and advice from seasoned professionals about real world business topics and issues, in addition to practicing their communication skills.
Hack-a-thon
The Security and Risk Analysis (SRA) club at Penn State Altoona is currently working with entrepreneurs from the Sheetz Fellows to learn aspects of information security as it pertains to network and computer security operations. The two groups are teamed with the hacking security firm GRIMM, that organizes and manages monthly Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges that entice individuals to creatively solve security issues and explore penetration testing techniques. These challenges provide the entrepreneurs and SRA club members the opportunity to gain valuable workplace experience and fosters a relationship between the SRA club and the Sheetz Fellows. In the spring semester, members of both groups will be divided into two teams for a regional hack-a-thon. One team will be set to defend a network, and another team will be tasked with penetrating and exploiting the network through any vulnerabilities they find during reconnaissance missions and other techniques learned from the previous challenges. Stay tuned!
Is My Idea Patentable? Using Patents To Help You “Make It!”
Lori Lysiak, reference and instruction librarian, Robert E. Eiche Library, spoke about how entrepreneurs can protect their intellectual property with copyright, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets.
You’re Invited to the Student Showcase!
Stop by the Devorris Downtown Center as your schedule permits to see our students showcase their work! Join us for the free networking lunch at noon at the Heritage Discovery Center. Please RSVP to JAP24@psu.edu or 814-940-3400. For a complete schedule of events, visit sites.psu.edu/sheetzcenter/news/student-showcase online.
Sheetz Fellows Attend CEO Conference in Tampa
Nineteen Sheetz Fellows attended the 2017 National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Conference in Tampa, Florida, October 26-29.
The conference brought more than 1,000 students, faculty, and young entrepreneurs together to network, learn, and inspire each other to pursue their entrepreneurial passions. Participants attended keynote and breakout sessions featuring outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders who shared their expertise, insights, and experiences on the risks, challenges, and rewards of starting a business. Some of the keynote speakers included filmmaker Brett Culp, Rising Heroes Project; Craig Dubitsky, founder and CEO of Hello; Cory Levy, co-founder and chief operating officer of After School, America’s largest social network for teens; and two-time Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale, CEO of Acton School of Business.
Penn State Altoona Enactus is focusing on multiple initiatives this academic year. The International Impact Project is currently working to develop a business plan for a cafe in Bolivia to be used as a sustainable revenue source by a local orphanage. The Enactus students are researching and analyzing the economics surrounding their homestead farm at the orphanage property and will be incorporated in the cafe menu. While in Bolivia, Penn State Altoona Enactus students will be conducting field research. Enactus Energy Project is currently working on a long-term project to turn the Penn State Altoona Ivyside campus into a solar campus and continue their work in conducting light audits. Environmental Sustainability Team will be reducing waste by expanding the reach of waste at retail establishments to reduce waste streams and create new upcycle products using coffee grounds.
Altoona LaunchBox Business Triage
Need some guidance, support, or have questions about starting or growing your business? Contact the Altoona LaunchBox to meet with the Business Triage group
The Business Triage group consists of Donna Bon, executive director of The Sheetz Center at Penn State Altoona; Paul Cooney, professor of practice at Penn State Altoona, John Horell, president of KIZ Resources; and Rich Lasek, manager of Loan Servicing and Entrepreneurial Development at ABCD Corporation. The triage group can provide insight into product development, connections to manufacturers, opportunities to meet mentors and potential investors and lenders, help with structuring your business entity, prototyping, and possible tax credit incentives. Business plan assistance is also available through the Small Business Development Center at St. Francis University. We want to help you succeed! Call 814-949-5500.