Champlain College presented six student entrepreneurs with BYOBiz Cornerstone Awards in November. The students were honored by the College for their entrepreneurial achievement as part of the inaugural group in the College's new BYOBiz (Bring-Your-Own-Business) program.
The Cornerstone Award recipients were:
Peter Bruhn and Peter Jewett, students who successfully launched an e-business called Go Trading Post (http://www.gotradingpost.com), which is associated with eBay. The two Business majors operate their business in Burlington.
Ben Haulenbeek, a Multimedia and Graphics Design major and founder of Haulenbeek Photography (http://benhaulenbeek.com). His future entrepreneurial endeavors including a book and an e-commerce business.
Ben Kaufman, the founder and illuminator of Mophie (http://www.mophie.com), a company that focuses on the development of innovative accessories for the digital lifestyle accessory market--including popular iPod accessories.
Justine Macris, a Business major and founder of Crash Technologies, which is a service business that extracts stored data from the 'event data recorder' in a cars airbag module.
And Jason Nikel, a Multimedia and Graphics Design major and founder of Third Shift Clothing--his own line of clothing and hats, sold in Burlington retail stores and online (http://www.myspace.com/thirdshiftclothing).
Through the BYOBiz program, Champlain College is actively recruiting undergraduates who will bring their existing businesses or business plans to college and propel them forward. "This approach is based on the premise that most entrepreneurs begin their pattern of business creation at a young age," said Champlain College President David F. Finney. "BYOBiz will encourage and support emerging entrepreneurs with educational and real-world business resources."
Each fall, student entrepreneurs will be accepted to the selective program and each student will be surrounded by a 'board of advisers,' a team that will act as a sounding board for their business plans and challenges. Champlain's program is open to students in all majors and its multifaceted offerings will include: a selection of business-building courses; internship credits for work done to advance their businesses; and access to financial, strategic and marketing experts and established entrepreneurs.
The program will include a speaker series, a new entrepreneur club and, ultimately, space where participants can meet to work on their growing businesses.
Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a private, baccalaureate institution that offers professionally focused programs in Burlington, Vermont. www.champlain.edu.