TRAil of A TERRoRisT - Point Park University

BusinessPhotograph by Ric EvansThis university-based site would be a clearinghousefor textbook exchanges in which students receive andspend credits for books they need each semester.Mike Palmer, a freshman business major, and hisgroup decided there were not enough sweettreats close by and developed a plan to bringa Dairy Queen to the campus. His group sawthis need after noticing there were no majorfood chains, other than Starbucks, on campus.Marie Maullon, a senior mass communicationmajor, and her group developed Work&Play, anInternet gaming café where customers could playboard or video games and surf the Internet.Of the 16 plans initially presented, ten teams werechosen to participate in a three-hour competitionheld in the JVH Auditorium. Dressed in their bestbusiness attire, the students developed PowerPointpresentations and explained in detail their ideas toa panel consisting of faculty members Bob O’Gara,School of Communication, and Paige Beal, School ofBusiness, and administrative staff J.W. Tabacchi,student affairs, and Ruth Rauluk, purchasing.Two teams took home first place honors.The first, consisting of Annie Perri, seniorbroadcasting major; Ben Cole, seniorbroadcasting major; Amy Bell, senioradvertising and public relations major; SteveStudentprice.com teammates Madori Rouse, Elizabeth Meedler, Ashley Smith,Jenee Pastva and Work&Play teammates Colin Vilsack and Marie MaullonFrom left: Dairy Queen teammates Lee Bonar, Drew Kury, MikePalmer, Dillon Sauers and Nick MerichLinkowski, junior broadcasting major; and CaitlinSmith, freshman business management major;developed a plan for an organic grocery store and fastfood restaurant. The second was a laundry and dormroom cleaning service developed by Angelica Blouch,sophomore journalism and mass communication major,and Danielle Gruzosky, junior broadcasting major. Arunner up prize was given to Eric Perkins, freshmanbusiness management major; Holly Shrum, freshmanaccounting major; Brianne Feindt, freshman businessmanagement major; and Zeke O’Donnell, freshmanbusiness management major, for their plan to placevending machines with microwaves in the dormitories.The students who were involved in the competitiongave rave reviews about this different approach toteaching.“The competition helped me better comprehendthe theories learned in class because we were reallyworking on the plan and applying the theoriesourselves,” notes Maullon. “It wasn’t information justmemorized or the typical research paper on a company.It was starting something from scratch and being ableto work through it to the end.”Rouse agrees. “I want to be an event planner somedayand own my own business. The competition helped meto learn how to brainstorm ideas and get a real feel fordeveloping a business plan. It was really good.”For Luther, the students’ work optimally captured theconcepts and theories she teaches in her class everysemester.“The students really thought through how they wouldrun their businesses,” says Luther. “They seemed to liketheir ideas – we might just have some entrepreneurs inthe making.”Who knows? With Point Park University expanding sorapidly, one of the new business ideas bred by a simpleclass project may just end up being part of the plans forthe new Academic Village Initiative.Photograph by Ric Evanswww.pointpark.edu 9