Elaina Eakle
ehe001@marietta.edu
The PioPitch program, which was introduced last semester, will continue to offer students and community members opportunities to share their ideas and receive feedback from college students and the community.
Economics professor Dr. Jacqueline Khorassani, the lead organizer of PioPitch, collaborated with Dr. Gama Perruci, Hilles Hughes, Dr. Thomas LaSalvia and Maribeth Saleem-Tanner to make her vision for the program a reality. Two pilot sessions of the program occurred last spring.
“This is a highly interactive and informal program,” Khorassani said. “Each entrepreneur has 10 minutes to present and 20 minutes to interact and receive feedback from the discussants and general audience.”
The PioPitch program now includes two student organizers, senior Nathalia Ferreira and junior Taylor Walker, who assist with all aspects of PioPitch presentations.
Walker’s personal aspiration drew her to the program, which she believes benefits students by allowing them to make connections with entrepreneurs.
“I became a PioPitch organizer because I want to own my own business one day and I knew this program would help me meet entrepreneurs that I can build relationships with and build up a strong network,” Walker said.
Ferreira feels that by encouraging students to explore and consider entrepreneurship, the PioPitch program can enable students to be more successful in their future careers.
“I believe entrepreneurs are the key drivers of tomorrow’s innovations and integral to creating a thriving economy,” she said. “Entrepreneurship also entails seeking and recognizing the right opportunities and finding resources to pursue those opportunities, and I think that’s what the PioPitch program is about.”
Ferreira argues that in addition to teaching students about entrepreneurship, the program also provides them with practical skills they may not gain elsewhere.
“The PioPitch program adds an important value to the college as students have the opportunity to learn about the steps of turning ideas into actions outside the classroom,” she said.
Additionally, Walker and Ferreira agree that the program will improve the community’s relationship with the college and its students.
“I believe that PioPitch brings the community and college closer together,” Walker said. “It begins to create great connections with students and local business owners. Students get an inside look on what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and the presenters get additional opinions on whatever they are pitching.”
Walker hopes that students will become involved in the program to have their voices heard in the community.
“They have the power to tell local business owners how things can be changed and improved,” she said. “Not only can students help better the community, but they can be motivated by the presenters to do something maybe they never thought they wanted to do. The students may be inspired to become entrepreneurs.”
Khorassani likewise encourages students to get involved.
“If they have entrepreneurial ideas, they can apply to present,” she said. “The application form is online on our website under ‘request to present.’ They can also attend the sessions to offer real time feedback to local entrepreneurs. You don’t have to be majoring in business to participate in [the] PioPitch program as a presenter.”
The first PioPitch session will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m. in Thomas Hall, room 124. Dr. Jane Cases, the chief medical officer of the Wellness 360 Comprehensive Lifestyle Center, and Brad Keller, a student at the University of Mount Union and co-creator of the university classified listing service MyUniversityListings, will present.
The second session is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15, and will feature Sylvain Riendeau, the president and CEO of North American branch of Elpro, board member of Berlinger USA, founder and partner of Marietta Sensors, and owner and managing director of EF Scientific, and Jim Couts and Lori Crook, founders of Jubilee Organic Gardens.
Presentations are also scheduled for Nov. 12 in the fall, and Jan. 28, Feb. 25 and April 1 in the spring.
