Extra-Curricular - Entrepreneurship Initiative

Speaker Series

Entrepreneurship Speaker Series

Woman standing in front of presentation which reads "Entrepreneurship in Scotch Whiskey"

Woman in front of presentation which reads "Cardhu Scandal(2003)"

Entrepreneurship in Scotch Whiskey

What is and what isn’t Scotch? The Scotch whisky industry is centuries-old and steeped in tradition. Recently, distillers in countries like Japan and Australia have adopted the Scotch whisky process – and now they’re winning prestigious awards. Join for a discussion with Dr. Michelle Albert Vachris on the entrepreneurial history of the Scotch whisky market and the attempts of the makers to legitimize their innovations.

About the Speaker

Michelle Albert Vachris is Professor of Management, Business and Economics at Virginia Wesleyan University. She was an economist with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the International Price Program. Dr. Vachris is a past-president of the Virginia Association of Economists and the co-editor of the Virginia Economic Journal. Her latest publication is Pride and Profit: The Intersection of Jane Austen and Adam Smith, co-authored with Cecil E. Bohanon.

Pitch Competition

Business Plan Pitch Competition

The Pitch Competition will allow entrepreneurs to pitch their business plan to peers and experts.
Entrepreneurs will receive an opportunity to learn from industry and professional experts.
Winners will receive monetary awards.

Pitch Your Idea

Teams will be invited to the two-day pitch event in which they will pitch to an audience of their peers and guest judges from the business advisory council of SCSU.

Guest judges will decide which business plan will win and receive the prize.

Opportunities

Networks of entrepreneurs, investors, and potential partners.
Mentorship by successful and seasoned professionals.
Education in specific business planning skills and general entrepreneurial insight.

Meet and Greet

On both days teams/individuals
can meet and network
with experts and peers.

Enjoy snacks, beverages, and free attire!

Applications

Each team or individual must meet the following eligibility criteria to compete:

The competition is for SCSU’s current and previous students.
For teams, at least one member of the team must meet the above requirement, not the entire team.
Current students must be in good academic standing and currently enrolled on a full or part-time basis.

Student Expectations

Be a key force behind the new business plan
Assigned a key role in developing the business concept
Practice a management role in the business and own significant equity in the venture

More Details Coming Soon…

Student Clubs

Healthcare Management Club

Young female doctor smiling while standing in a hospital corridor with a diverse group of staff in the background

By joining the Healthcare Management Club, you can explore careers in the healthcare industry and network with local healthcare executives on campus.

The purpose of the club is:

To introduce the local healthcare executives to our campus and students
To provide students information and opportunities in the healthcare industry
To encourage students to participate in networking events and job fairs

This club is available for undergraduate and graduate students. If you are interested in joining, please contact:

Dr. Jia Yu
Associate Professor of Economics
yuj4@southernct.edu

Southern is an Institution Member in the Connecticut Association of Healthcare Executives Higher Education Network.

STEM Entrepreneurship Club

Connect with students, researchers, professionals and access resources and opportunities on- and off-campus.