Teresa Quinn, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Manager is excited for the seventeen smart, talented, and determined Clark student entrepreneurs of the Ureka Challenge 2021 to present to a panel of Clark University alumni and faculty this Friday, March 26th starting at 10 am. The event will be streamed live on our student-run webpage – www.clarkstudentventures.com – thanks to the very talented, Jack Rogerson, sophomore and Computer Science major. Our Masters of Ceremonies, Alec Tarnowski ’23, and Alexander Dursin ’23, will kick off the event welcoming our donor hosts Samantha Goodman, Michael Goodman, and SOM Dean, Alan Eisner.
Back in October of 2020, 30 Clark students applied to the Ureka Challenge 2021 with their ventures. The Ureka Committee was very happy to see that COVID did not decrease interest in the Challenge and the entries were comparable to 2020. The Committee intensely deliberated over the 2021 applicants, choosing the top 15 ventures run by 17 entrepreneurs – which was no easy task. Since then, these 17 Clark entrepreneurs have shown dedication to their ventures without rest! At the end of the journey, the Ureka participants present to a judging panel of alumni, faculty, and past Ureka winners, for a chance to be awarded up to an additional $5000!
“It is astonishing and amazing to watch these entrepreneurs as it seemed nothing undeterred them from success – not COVID, winter, or any other obstacle! Now all the hard work from these Clark student entrepreneurs is coming to an exciting end as they prepare to present to the judging panel.”
Teresa Quinn, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Manager
The Ureka Challenge is a months-long, yearly event designed to promote, develop, and grow Clark’s student ventures. The 15 accepted ventures were awarded $100 of investment seed money from the Ureka Committee at the start of the Challenge. The students have invested their seed money in many different ways such as inventory, domain names, marketing, and other business development areas. Additional activities through the journey were intensive mentorship through ENT260 Student Run Ventures during the intersession with several guest speakers bringing knowledge to the participants from marketing to taxes; individual mentorship; Clark Collective sponsored popup on Red Square; a campus-wide crowdfunding event; and a Ureka rename contest! All coming to a conclusion this Friday, March 26th!
You can find the Ureka Challenge 2021 program here with participant presenting times.
Ureka Challenge 2021 Judging Panel
Debra Harrsch ’80
Adi Tibrewal MBA ’05
Vicky Marino ’08
Trevor Tarnowski ’20, MBA ’21
Ulysses Youngblood – Adjunct Faculty
Keith Miller ’88
Nathayla Castro ’18, MBA ’19
Ureka Committee
Teresa Quinn, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Program Manager
Dr. John Dobson, Associate Professor of Practice
Julie Bolduc, Director of Career Operations and On-Campus Student Employment
Laurie Cormier, MBA ’20, Major Gifts Officer
Jennifer Plante, ’00, Associate Dean of Academic Services
Crysta Spitzfaden, ’19, Founder at Fresh Food Waste, Ureka Winner
Jillian Skulsky, ’21 & ’22, Major Economics, Minor Entrepreneurship & Innovation, MBA
Ureka Challenge 2021 Participants
Magpies Collect, owner Martina Villanueva ’23 – Aims to bring happiness to all, in the form of stylish and affordable fashion accessories. Instagram
Pennywise PPE Protection, owner Ethan Lutz ’21 – Produces a germicidal copper-lined bag that prevents cross-contamination buildup of PPE. Instagram
Solace Handicrafts, owners Maseeng Masitha ’21 and Maria Masood ’21 – Providing art primarily from women in economically-challenged backgrounds. Instagram
No Worries Skincare, owner Julia Dantzler ’24 – An affordable way to treat your skin and the environment with the respect they deserve. Instagram
Worcester Free Fridge, founder Lucy Barrett ’21
Community fridges providing channels for fresh, healthy food to our marginalized citizens. Instagram
Radical in Progress, founder Gari De Ramos ’21 – A social enterprise serving as a one-stop-shop for social justice education. Instagram
What We Leave, author Jens Peterson ’24 – Environmental issues, their causes, and solutions to be effective caretakers of this planet. Instagram
Selfcare with Vi, owner Victoria Pastor ’24 – Selfcare with Vi produces a natural eyelash serum and self-care boxes. Instagram
Dough Is Me, owner Madeline Steigman ’24 -Homemade high-quality baked goods to homesick college students at an affordable price. Instagram
Charied Away, owner Charisma Nguyen-Lai ’22 – Artwork and design produced in the form of stickers and greeting cards. Instagram
The Empower Yoga Project, owner Melanie Adams ’22 -Inclusive and trauma-conscious movement for healing, embodiment, and resilience. Instagram
GoRamen, owner Justin Zay ’24 -Providing affordable after-hours food options for Clark students. Instagram
Economically Girly, owner Da’Vyana Williams ’24 – Providing gorgeous press-on nails no matter the occasion or budget. Instagram
Tsara & Soa, owners Tsanta Rakotoarisoa ’21 and Wuzhenjun Xue ’21
Provides vanilla from Madagascar that supports sustainable development and climate resilience. Facebook
Generation ZE, founder Jacqueline Ricketts-Hagan ’21
A platform for Generation Z and those who wish to understand them – blogs and podcasts. Instagram
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS FUNDING DONORS!
A special thanks to Samantha Goodman ’11, Michael Goodman, and Swing Issues Media for additional funding.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Student Staff
Jillian Skulsky, E&I Program Lead; Fiona Scharff, E&I Program Assistant; Dilasha Shrestha, Web Manager; Sonny Sieminski, Clark Collective Coordinator; Martina Villanueva, Clark Collective Social Media Marketer; Greer McCarty, Thrift Store Coordinator.