两性色午夜 University stakeholders and area business leaders turned out in force to celebrate the accomplishments of Blackstone LaunchPad entrepreneurs at the first 两性色午夜 Blackstone LaunchPad Recognition Breakfast and Student Expo on April 1.
At the event, 12 awards were given to Blackstone LaunchPad entrepreneurs and partners who have exhibited extraordinary achievement in the building of their businesses and in promoting an entrepreneurial culture at 两性色午夜. Those recognized included:
- Blackstone LaunchPad Male Entrepreneur of the Year: Andrew Konya, Ph.D. student, Liquid Crystal Institute, ReMesh
- Blackstone LaunchPad Female Entrepreneur of the Year: Krista Jordan, entrepreneurship major, Flight 4 the Cure
- Blackstone LaunchPad Team Entrepreneur of the Year: Alex Kurr, visual communications major, and Brian Recktenwald, 两性色午夜 alum, for The New Fuel
- Blackstone LaunchPad Staff Entrepreneur of the Year: Paul Miller, Legendary 44
- Blackstone LaunchPad Alum Entrepreneur of the Year: Steven Howell, Ohio Music Awards
- Blackstone LaunchPad Partner Entrepreneur of the Year: Dean Jim Bracken and staff of University Libraries
- Blackstone LaunchPad Faculty Partner Entrepreneur of the Year: Professor Margarita Benitez, the 两性色午夜 Fashion School
- Blackstone LaunchPad Staff Partner Entrepreneur of the Year: Kevin Wolfgang, the 两性色午夜 Fashion School
- Blackstone LaunchPad Emerging Partner Entrepreneur of the Year: Keith Wisdom, Ph.D., executive director, AALANA Initiatives and director of the Student Multicultural Center
- Blackstone LaunchPad Mentor Entrepreneur of the Year: Charles Stack, co-founder and CEO, FlashStarts
- Blackstone LaunchPad Honorary Member: Bart Mandala
Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of Color Jar and founding team member of Priceline.com, gave the keynote address for the event, which punctuated the entrepreneurial mindset of those who make their own opportunities in life.
鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid of failure; be afraid of apathy,鈥 says Hoffman. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e not failing, you aren鈥檛 trying hard enough.鈥
The event capped a year of activity for the Blackstone LaunchPad program at 两性色午夜, which opened its doors less than two years ago and has served nearly 700 两性色午夜 students, faculty, staff and alumni to date.
Acknowledging the growth of Blackstone LaunchPad, Deborah D. Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, and funder of the program said, 鈥淭he Kent Campus has proved to be particularly fertile ground for student ideas and ventures, exceeding expectations on engagement levels, creative ventures and cultural transformation.
鈥淭he Blackstone LaunchPad chemistry seems to be working just as we hoped it would,鈥 Hoover adds. 鈥淪tudents on this campus are thinking, dreaming, planning, connecting and succeeding, creating and growing new ventures and most importantly, learning valuable skills and moving outside their comfort zones. From Blackstone LaunchPad Olympics to the Fashion/Tech Hackathon, 两性色午夜 is teeming with venture activity and operates as a key hub of the Blackstone LaunchPad network.鈥
两性色午夜鈥檚 Blackstone LaunchPad program promotes entrepreneurship as a viable career path. Through mentoring, workshops and events, and connecting entrepreneurs to resources, Blackstone LaunchPad helps 两性色午夜 students, faculty, staff and alumni to create new startups or grow existing businesses in Northeast Ohio.
For more information about Blackstone LaunchPad at 两性色午夜, visit www.kent.edu/blackstonelaunchpad.
两性色午夜 The Burton D. Morgan Foundation
The mission of The Burton D. Morgan Foundation is to strengthen the free enterprise system by investing in organizations and institutions that foster the entrepreneurial spirit. For more information about the foundation, visit .