RSU Students Make Governor’s Cup Round of Business Plan Competition
SAVVY STUDENTS: A team of RSU students competed in the 2008 Governor’s Cup Business Plan Competition and made the final round. Team members include: back row from left, team leader Josh Compton, Jason Cantrell, Brandon Gaffney and advisor Charles Atkins; front row from left, Stephanie Wayne, Bethia Davis and Ashley Isaac.
Courtesy of RSU
A team of Rogers State University students advanced to the final round of the statewide Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition on April 12.
RSU’s business plan is one of the six plans that were named finalists from an original group of 37 plans.
The RSU students created Enviro-Clear Innovations Inc., a company designed to manufacture a cost-effective algae control solution for swimming pools and cooling towers and presented their business plan to a panel of judges.
“This is continuing evidence of the excellent students and faculty that we have here at RSU,” says Dr. Bruce Garrison, dean of RSU’s School of Business and Technology. “Entering this competition gives us an opportunity to compete with the top universities in the state and demonstrates the quality of students and faculty. The Governor’s Cup is a great opportunity for each university across the state to assemble teams of students to develop business plans for new technology that may lead to business development and benefit the state’s economy.”
The top two finishers in the undergraduate and graduate student categories will have the opportunity to test their business plans against budding entrepreneurs from Arkansas and Nevada in May in Las Vegas.
The winners of this year’s event were announced at an awards dinner April 24 in Oklahoma City. Cash awards at the state-level competition include $20,000 for first place in each of the graduate and undergraduate divisions, $10,000 for second place in both divisions and $5,000 for third place. RSU did not win at the state level, but the team was excited to have made the final round of the competition.
The technology-based business plan competition is hosted by the nonprofit, venture-promoting i2E agency in Oklahoma and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.
The RSU student team is comprised of: team leader Josh Compton of Collinsville; Stephanie Wayne of Wann; Bethia Davis of Claremore; Ashley Isaac of Collinsville; Jason Cantrell of Nowata; and Brandon Gaffney of Pawhuska.
Charles Atkins, instructor in the RSU Department of Business, serves as the faculty adviser for the team.
“Starting before Christmas, as a team we have logged hundreds of hours on the project, including business plan preparation, research, with presentation development and practice,” says Compton, student team leader.
At the core of the Enviro-Clear Innovations business plan is technology developed by Dr. John Sawyer, an assistant professor and interim department head for RSU’s mathematics and physical sciences department.
“The Governors Cup Competition is an excellent forum to showcase the abilities, diligence and professionalism of our students. I am honored to be a part of the process,” says Atkins, the team’s adviser.
More information is available by visiting Governor’s Cup Web site, www.okgovernorscup.org.
Updated 05-21-2008
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