After an engaging and exciting 2021-2022 school year, the School of Management’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program celebrated exceptional entrepreneurial students at a year-end awards ceremony with alumna guest speaker Christina Bai ’13. Nine Clark University student entrepreneurs were recognized for their outstanding entrepreneurial endeavors and development of the E&I Program on campus at the first E&I awards ceremony on May 12, 2022, in Winton Faculty Dining Room.
With 110 nominee submissions, in three different categories, the Award’s Committee of faculty, staff, and a student went to work combing through the attributes of each nominee. The categories – Clark Student Entrepreneur of the Year, Clark Student Business of the Year, and Up & Coming Clark Student Entrepreneur of the Year – all had tough competition making for a difficult deduction process for the committee.
The committee narrowed the nominees to three top contenders in each category – Clark Student Entrepreneur of the Year – Charisma Nguyen-Lai ’22, Martina Villanueva ’23, and winner Henry Reyes ’24; Clark Student Business of the Year – Radical In Progress (owner Gari De Ramos ’21 & ’22), Dough is Me (owner Maddy Steigman ’24) and winner SquidInk (owner Lara Jordan ’23); and Up & Coming Clark Student Entrepreneur of the Year – Wynne Dromey ’25, Elli Mouchtaridou ’24, and winner Clarissa Ko ’25. An additional student, Jose Castro ’22, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program Intern, who was instrumental in coordinating the induction and awards ceremony, was honored with a Program Manager Recognition award for his outstanding contributions to the betterment of the program. Jose was also an awards presenter with Teresa Quinn, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Manager.
“The best part for me was spending a wonderful evening, and having great conversations, with people passionate about entrepreneurship. From the student-run food businesses providing delicious dinner and desserts, to the moms that cried when their child was recognized for their passion. It was awesome really.” – Teresa Quinn, E&I Program Manager
In conjunction with the awards ceremony, the E&I Program and six students were inducted into the Entrepreneurship Honor Society – Sigma Nu Tau. Nancy Church, President and Executive Director, presided over the induction welcoming the E&I Program’s first six members – Andrew Pimental ’22, Melanie Adams ’22, Alyosha Otogawa ’22, Martina Villanueva ’23, Derek Jones ’22, and Sophie Phelan ’22. Before the start of the ceremony, Manny Bowman ’23 owner of Sliced and Dana Miller ’23 provided dinner, and Maddy Steigman ’24 owner of Dough is Me provided dessert. Photography provided by Moses Millman ’24 and Vijay Yadav ’23 grad student.
