The anticipation was palpable at the University of St. Thomas, where more than 120 first-year students gathered a week before classes started to brainstorm, design and pitch business prototypes at the Freshman Innovation Immersion event.
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity for students to explore and learn about what it means to have an innovative mindset,” said Danielle Ailts Campeau, associate dean of the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the Opus College of Business, which sponsored the interactive event for entrepreneurial-spirited students to solve a challenge and pitch their solution.
The participating students moved into their residence halls early, building community with like-minded classmates in a one-day speed course in entrepreneurship. They all competed for a chance at cash prizes, up to $500 per winner. No matter the outcome, they gained valuable skills and jump-started their relationships, culminating with a dinner cruise on the Mississippi River.
The students representing nearly 40 majors brought their fresh ideas to the table. Coached by more than 40 experienced mentors including St. Thomas alumni, business owners and other members of the entrepreneurial community, students left their comfort zone to challenge themselves. By developing and pitching their ideas, they gained skills in public speaking and creative thinking, all while building confidence.
“We’re very fortunate to have amazing mentors who spend their time with our students all day today, providing guidance and coaching,” Campeau said.
One of the first activities of the day was the “100 Days of Failure” exercise, designed to show students how terrible business ideas can be flipped to become good ones.
“It’s been a really great opportunity to connect with other freshmen before classes start,” described participant Zoey Myers. The first-year student from Chaska, Minnesota, was especially thankful for the guidance by their mentor.
“She was really helpful at putting things in a realistic perspective and knowing what we need to address when creating a business proposition,” Myers said.
For accounting major Karley Lacis from Centerville, Minnesota, this was the first time she had ever done anything entrepreneurial.
“It’s a fun new experience. A lot of different thinking than I’m used to, but great thinking!” she said.
Curious eyes perused the room filled with refreshments and supplies, such as flip chart easels, Post-it notes and more. With the resources present, it was up to the students to make something out of them.
The ideas were flowing in the purple and gray hall, where everyone had the potential to be creative problem-solvers.
Max Evans and his teammates want to invent the new go-to portable phone charger.
“We’re making it the size of two credit cards, so it just sits in your wallet. You can just attach it to the back of your phone and it charges your battery to full,” he said ambitiously.
The spirit within the team is infectious; they believe they have created the first truly portable charger – something people will actually carry around.
Freshman Innovation Immersion is one of many entrepreneurial opportunities available to students at St. Thomas. The university awards over $500,000 annually in student competitions throughout the year, providing students the opportunity to develop their ideas and concepts over time. Feedback from these competitions encourages self-awareness and reflection, giving students tangible skills for thoughtful problem-solving that will benefit them throughout their studies and after graduation.
The Opus College of Business is committed to fostering innovation across all disciplines, not just business.
“Innovation happens in every industry,” Campeau said. “Opening these competitions up to all students allows them to tap into their innovative potential and solve problems that will make a difference in the world.”
