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Two Evangel students receive Entrepreneurship Awards

Published on Aug 25, 2015 by Evangel University News

Following participation in 1 Million Cups program

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Evangel University Business Department has awarded $300 Entrepreneurship Awards to two students in recognition of their plans to develop new businesses.

The recipients were part of an entrepreneurship course at Evangel that engaged 21 students in the 1 Million Cups program every Wednesday morning, along with instruction and projects related to business creation.

“These students gained tremendous inspiration and knowledge by attending the 1 Million Cups program each week, as a part of this class,” said Hona Amer, adjunct professor of business at Evangel.

  • Kaitlyn Palmquist, senior management major from Springfield, MO, developed a business plan to create a retail store specializing in hand crafted art of all mediums from up-and-coming artists in the Springfield area, along with popular retail brands of clothing, home décor and gifts.
  • Patrick McGuire, junior management major from Algonquin, IL, developed a business plan that creates a faith-based nonprofit child-care program for ages 4-14. The program features age “zones” that encourage kids to accept more responsibility and to develop and use their imagination, creativity and passion to birth new ideas.

“One of the reasons I came to Evangel was because they see business as relating to any kind of organization,” said McGuire. “This course enabled me to develop a business plan for an organization that fits my love for both business and service.”

Palmquist has always had an interest in owning her own business. “This course enabled me to move past the dream stage to embrace the reality of what will be required,” she said.

Every student in the Entrepreneurship course prepared a business plan as part of the curriculum. Three professors were involved in judging the top tier plans.

The Entrepreneurship course Evangel offered this spring was developed by Evangel’s adjunct professors Hona Amer and Eveline Lewis as a result of a $5,000 grant from the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, based in Grand Rapids, MI.

The Institute holds seminars and publishes various books, monographs, periodicals and articles designed to educate religious leaders, business executives, entrepreneurs, university professors and academic researchers in economics principles, as well as the connection that can exist between virtue and economic thinking.

1 Million Cups

The 1 Million Cups program was launched in Springfield on February 27 based on the concept developed by Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Springfield entrepreneurs, innovators, funders and other interested community members meet at 9 a.m. each Wednesday in the Robert Plaster Center for Entrepreneurship, 425 South Jefferson.

Each Wednesday morning, two early-stage startups present their companies to an audience of mentors, advisors and other entrepreneurs. Each founder presents for six minutes and then fields audience questions for another 20 minutes.

Similar programs now exist in 66 other US cities.

Evangel Business

The Evangel University Business Department includes majors in accounting, business education, finance, marketing, management, and nonprofit business & social enterprise.

The department also provides degree completion in management, as well as a Master of Organizational Leadership in both online and classroom formats.

For more information on the Evangel University Department of Business, contact Bernie Dana at (417) 865-2811, ext. 8116, or by email at danab@evangel.edu.