April 11, 2024
The Jameson ’02 and Jennifer Engerer ’02 Troutman Susquehanna Entrepreneurship Fund provides seed money for all students taking the capstone course in the Sigmund Weis School of Business’ entrepreneurship major. Additionally, all other students regardless of major can apply for up to $2,000 annually from this fund for their business and can apply multiple times if they show growth and development of the business.
The Troutmans were motivated to establish the fund due to their family’s own strong entrepreneurial spirit. Jameson’s father and his mother’s extended family both started their own businesses and Jennifer also runs her own digital marketing business.
“Whether you want to start and run your own business or not, 企业家的价值观和经验可以使每个人受益,” the Troutmans said. “小企业对我们的国民经济和世界各国都非常重要. We were excited that we could support an innovative program like this at our alma mater to foster curiosity and help power the small-business spirit among the next generation of innovators.”
The Troutmans’ funding led to the first Student Startup Market, which featured 20 students — both from within the entrepreneurship capstone course and beyond — selling their own products, 从专业服务到健身和健康产品等等. Each participant received $100.
“We were able to revolutionize the Entrepreneurial Experience capstone course because of the funding made possible by the Troutmans,” said Lauren Smith, lecturer in management and marketing. “In this class, students are tasked with launching a ‘side-hustle.’ This year, we could provide initial funding and opportunities for further funding rounds for each of the business ventures in the class. 资金保证带来的兴奋和精神是无与伦比的.”
The Entrepreneurial Experience capstone course is required for entrepreneurship & corporate innovation 主修和辅修课程，满足先决条件的学生可以选修.
Side hustles on display
Through her business venture, Reclaimed Runway, Griffin creates fun and unique fashion for Gen Z women by upcycling thrifted and secondhand clothes for purchase by embellishing items with unique iron-on designs. 她还提供工具包，让顾客可以升级和DIY他们已经拥有的衣服或配饰.
“There are a lot of entrepreneurs in my family, so I grew up with an appreciation for working for yourself,” Griffin said.
Her business combines her passions — sustainability and fashion.
“I love to shop for fun fashion and clothes like printed jeans, but all the stores I found that sold what I was looking for were unethical fast fashion retailers like Shein,” Griffin said. “这就是鼓励我把我的兴趣结合在一起创造这个项目的原因.”
Griffin used her funding to help purchase supplies and the materials she used on her table at the Student Startup Market.
“It would have definitely been hard for me to put out the money on my own to purchase all my start-up supplies and materials,” Griffin said. “Without the funding, I would have been a lot less likely to start my business in the first place.”
After graduation, 吉芬计划从事数字营销或社交媒体方面的职业, preferably in the Philadelphia region. 她还计划继续发展她的“再生跑道”副业.
Ryan Rorls今年25岁，主修商业管理，辅修弗雷德里克大学的数据分析专业, Maryland, whose business venture, Sugar & Ry，专门从事手工制作，优雅，高品质的烘焙食品. She established the business in 2020.
罗尔斯收到的资金帮助她购买了烘焙食品的优质原料, including pure vanilla bean paste, Irish butter, King Arthur all-purpose flour and organic lemons, as well as attractive packaging to keep them fresh and appealing, she said. 这笔资金还让她在学生创业市场“整理”了自己的桌子.
Rorls plans to continue nurturing and expanding her baking business while pursuing her postgraduate career in project management, with the idea of leveraging the valuable experiences and skills she gains from her career to enhance and streamline operations within her business.
“我的目标是在我的事业和我的生意之间建立一种协同关系, allowing each to complement and enrich the other as I embark on this journey of entrepreneurship and professional development,” Rorls said. “Participating in the Student Startup Market allowed me to showcase my handcrafted treats and connect with fellow entrepreneurs who share my dedication. Telling the story behind each of my creations reinforced my belief that baking is about creating connections and spreading happiness one bite at a time.”