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Congratulations to 2023 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Kamaile Manol

Kamaile Manol

 

The Entrepreneurial Mindset includes such characteristics as 

  • EMPATHY for those we strive to help, 
  • OPTIMISM to See Problems as Opportunities, 
  • CONFIDENCE to be comfortable with Risk,  
  • AWARENESS of the impact we have.

Kamaile’s University career reflects all of these characteristics. 

Kamaile still remembers how, as a 12-year-old, her first “invention” of necessity was a retractable and detachable table for the family car during long commutes.  Distracted from her inventive imagination by the demands of being a Division 1 dual-sport volleyball athlete at SCU, her entrepreneurial spirit was reignited during a study abroad program in Barcelona, where she learned about Design Thinking and international business.  Upon her return to SCU, she immersed herself in the Entrepreneurship Minor and delved deeper into learning about startups, leadership, and innovation. 

Motivated by a family member’s struggle to find an inclusive fitness gym, Kamaile has focused her energies on finding ways to empower women to stay committed to their workout routines and foster strength from within.  To that end, she founded her company Mai Body and has participated in the Bronco Ventures Idea Lab and Prep School to help her develop and grow her business.  

“Bronco Ventures Prep School helped me to develop critically important skills that are guiding me to start a business to better support and motivate women in fitness, which combines my love for fitness with my passion for entrepreneurship. I leave SCU determined never to stop being curious and creating new solutions for the rest of my life. I am sincerely grateful to Santa Clara University for the depth of support this institution has generously given me through the incredible learning opportunity I have had here. I have learned academically about entrepreneurship and business, and most significantly, about myself and the kind of human I will grow towards.”

Even with a myriad of activities, including internships, Kamaile has demonstrated continual Academic Excellence throughout her University career and an Entrepreneurial Mindset in both her professional and personal activities.

A person smiling outdoors with buildings in the background.

The honor is awarded annually by Ciocca Center for innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program. The award recognizes significant achievements in the program and the promise of future success.  

In addition to her academic studies in Marketing and completion of the Minor in Entrepreneurship, Bryanna served as a Business Consultant in our Bronco Entrepreneurs Advisor Clinic.  In this role, she worked with an interdisciplinary team of Law Students and MBA students, guided by industry mentors, to advise startups on business and legal issues.

Bryanna stands out not only for her performance as a consultant, but because of her willingness to use her experience to provide feedback on the program, and to work with the Law School, the Leavey School of Business and Ciocca Center, on evolving and scaling the program:

 "During my participation in BEACH, I was introduced to a variety of real-world business and legal concerns of entrepreneurs. As a business advisor, I got first hand experience in reaching out to clients, conducting informational interviews, and delivering advice to entrepreneurs - all of which gave me a sense of empowerment. I worked closely with my team to discuss and strategize before preparing deliverables for clients. Through BEACH, I have made meaningful connections with my peers and have found mentors that continuously support me. My participation at BEACH was one of the most valuable experiences as an undergraduate business student and I’m looking forward to seeing how it evolves and expands in the future."

In addition to her activities with Ciocca Center, she completed internships in both a startup and an established company.  Her service commitment has been tangible, and she’s served as Historian and Public Relations Officer for Alpha Phi Omega, a fraternity dedicated to the mission of preparing community leaders.  Bryanna has also built her own photography business, focused on capturing life’s events. 

A person wearing a pink headscarf, smiling outdoors.

The honor is awarded annually by Ciocca Center for innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program. The award recognizes significant achievements in the program and the promise of future success.  

When Chris Norris, Executive Director of Ciocca Center, first met Sameehah Hussain, he was struck by her clear views about entrepreneurship. Shortly after their meeting, Sameehah joined the Center as an intern, during which time she helped establish and document best practices for the Bronco Venture Accelerator program. And when the Center needed a leadership team, Sameehah was an obvious choice. As one of two co-chairs, over the course of two years, Sameehah has been an integral part of creating the design, and laying the foundation for what is now Ciocca Center’s Student Advisory Board, the first of its kind at SCU. In addition to the early work developing the board’s mission, she helped to  recruit more than 20 interdisciplinary student members, including graduate and undergraduate students. 

Sameehah has also served in other interdisciplinary leadership roles at Santa Clara, including serving as president of the Muslim Student Association as well as president of Delta Sigma Pi, a business fraternity. During her junior year, her interest in the intersection of business and technology ethics led her to an internship with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics during which she worked for a year with Intel’s Global Ethics and Compliance team. 

Even with a myriad of activities going on, Sameehah has demonstrated academic excellence throughout her University career, completing a Minor in Entrepreneurship and striking an exemplary balance between her academic studies and her professional interests and goals. 

We look forward to seeing what's next for Sameehah!

 

 

A person in a blue shirt standing with arms crossed indoors.

The honor is awarded annually by Ciocca Center for innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program. The award recognizes significant achievements in the program and the promise of future success. 

The entrepreneurial mindset includes such characteristics as personal initiativefuture orientationcomfort with risk, and opportunity recognition. Jonathan's accomplishments include all of these. At 17, Jonathan launched his first venture - an exotic car operation - which he grew to over $1 million in revenue. While at Santa Clara, his endeavors have included an internship at Amazon and co-founding a company called “Rematch," a competitive gaming cloud service. 

Jonathan's initiative has been recognized by Forbes, as a recipient of their Under 30 Scholar Award, and he recently won awards at Santa Clara’s annual Business Pitch Competition and in our Global Venture Capital Investment Competition. 

One of Santa Clara’s fundamental values is academic excellence. Even as an active entrepreneur, Jonathan has maintained a 3.75 GPA throughout his university career, striking an exemplary balance between his academic studies and his entrepreneurial initiatives. 

We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Jonathan!

 

 

Three smiling people at the LSB Awards ceremony, text in the background.

The honor is awarded annually by Ciocca Center for innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program and the promise of future success. Riley has started two ventures while at Santa Clara, interned at a Silicon Valley startup and at PepsiCo, participated in the Venture Capital Competition, and is a Women in Business Mentor.  

Riley represents Santa Clara’s core entrepreneurial value of “mindful action toward a better good." One of her ventures is focused on reducing the 500-billion disposable cups that go into the oceans and landfills each year. She’s the Vice President of SCU’s Habitat for Humanity and an on-campus Sustainability Guide. 

Beyond her teaching credentials as a TA for an Entrepreneurship class, and excelling in the normal academic load that all students carry, she also found the time to give community service on six of seven continents! She advised boys and girls clubs in South Africa. She helped build new water towers in Nepal. In Ecuador, she planted balsa wood trees that funded high school student education. Back in this hemisphere at Santa Clara, she is a leader in her own right. Riley demonstrated her commitment to our foundational values by volunteering in SCU’s office neighborhood ambassador program where she brought in and led the Random Acts of Kindness celebration - a national effort. 

After graduation, Riley will be setting out on travels to further explore her ultimate goal of starting a company that will not only solve important problems but will inspire others as well. 

Young person smiling outdoors under a pergola.

The honor is awarded annually by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.

Mishika’s journey in entrepreneurship started when she was 14 with Power of Pops, a venture in which she raised over $35,000 by baking and selling cake pops to support recreational programs for the special needs community in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

Her entrepreneurial spirit and desire to shape change remained strong when she came to Santa Clara University.

At SCU, Mishika joined the Social Innovation Initiative in India (SIII) as student lead. Over a 3-year period, the proposal aimed to leverage the assets of the Leavey School of Business and Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, including students, GSBI Alumni, and GSBI mentors, to scale social impact by replicating validated social enterprise models and technological innovations throughout India.

During her junior year, Mishika interned with Vyu Labs, a software development company where she coordinated social media marketing and advertising. Mishika realized the most effective way for her to return measurable digital growth-based results would be by engaging SCU students. In two weeks after Vyu Labs approval, she met with and onboarded Leavey School of Business Dean Caryn Beck-Dudley who, in turn, virtually connected with SCU students, faculty, and alumni using Vyu Lab’s Startime app.

Most recently, Mishika took on the role of president of Santa Clara Consulting (SCC), the University’s student-run consulting team.  Here, she has been committed to add value to startups and not-for-profits in the Bay area by offering implementable and innovative recommendations. Santa Clara Consulting has inspired Mishika to form a shared vision for student consultants and entrepreneurs and to create relentlessly and without limits.

Mishika is graduating with honors with a major in Commerce and a minor in Entrepreneurship. After graduation, she will begin a full-time position with Deloitte as a Market Development Specialist. She will receive the CIE Outstanding Student Award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 15, presented by Dr. Jennifer Woolley, Management Department Chair.

2017 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur

CIE winner 2017

THE OUTSTANDING STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR AWARD is presented by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to the graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program and acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship.

This year, 2017, we are excited to present the award to Karlsen Termini.

Karlsen is graduating with a Major in Marketing and a Minor in Entrepreneurship. He is the founder of Rowing Career Connect, a non-profit organization connecting current and alumni rowers from SCU to encourage mentoring and career development.  After he graduates, Karlsen will be joining the start-up Birddogs Shorts in New York City.

Marco Ciccone Names 2016 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur

Congratulations to 2016 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Marco Ciccone!   This honor is awarded annually by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.  

Man standing in front of VentureBeat and Crunch logos backdrop.

Marco Ciccone is graduating in June with a Major in Finance, a Minor in Entrepreneurship and a member of the California Program for Entrepreneurship 2015 Cohort-he's also CEO and Co-Founder of app sensation Spree.  Marco, together with his co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Riley Parsons, developed a free app that is a micro-community platform connecting only SCU students, faculty and staff for a sustainable solution to buying, selling, and trading goods and services.  

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How it Works:  Safe, secure app to buy, sell or trade with the SCU-community via the easy-to-use iPhone app.  Users are only permitted to use the application after verifying their e-mail address, so you can undoubtedly trust that this is a strict Bronco-to-Bronco exchange! With Spree's microcosmic approach, students, faculty, and staff need not travel far to buy or sell used goods, cutting down on wasted transportation costs and energy used when searching for similar items on websites like Craigslist or Close5.

The following is an excerpt taken from an article written by Sustainability Intern Alec Kwo '16 entitled:             

For a university that already strives to promote sustainability, be it in efficient transportation, supporting local economies, conscious consumerism, and reducing, reusing, recycling, and respecting our stuff, Spree is an all-in-one promoter of the values that we abide by at SCU. Products’ life cycles can dramatically be extended and put to good use by people in your own community, allowing for you and anyone else who may buy your used goods to get the best value for whatever you originally bought.

Listings appear similarly to Facebook’s scrolling Newsfeed with a picture, short description, and price for the good or service. Users can click on posts and begin internal messaging within the app with the seller and coordinate logistics and negotiate prices. There are currently 400+ users on Spree, so do your part to support your fellow Broncos and download the Spree - Student Marketplace app, which won the 2015 CIE Business Plan Pitch Competition Grand Prize! Not only will you rid yourself of unused things that you’ve accumulated over time, you will be promoting and embodying what it means to be sustainable. Keep those goods out of landfills and creating a safe, hyper-local place of commerce. It’s a win-win-win situation, so what are you waiting for?

Three individuals holding a large check in a classroom setting.

Active in CIE Enrichment Opportunities like our quarterly Office Hours for Entrepreneurs, Marco and his team has met with multiple alumni CIE Office Hours providers to discuss Spree.  The CIE also was pleased to feature the Spree duo at well-received presentations to the CIE Advisory Board and as a part of the CIE presentation at SCU's Family Weekend, showcasing student startups.  The team is already giving back to the University by providing internship and career opportunities for fellow students.  He is indeed a shining example of what entrepreneurship at Santa Clara can do for our communities. 

Marco will receive this award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 10, Mayer Theater, presented by Dr. Jennifer Woolley, Management Department Chair. 

Congratulations!

Rico Mok Named
2015 Outstanding
Student Entrepreneur

Congratulations to 2015 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Rico Mok! This honor is awarded annually by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.

While still in high school, Rico Mok was already working on his own venture.  When he arrived at Santa Clara University, he was active in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship programs and the momentum continued. 

He continued working on his initial startup, BuildACircle as it evolved into Moments-Remembering the past,www.ourmoments.co.  An app launched in 2012 that helps you reminisce the past with the use of location--your photos and moments captured in time to share and remember. Then when you pass by places you've been, you'll receive a notification with your photos and memories to enjoy all over again.  

Knowing that one startup wouldn't be enough to satisfy his enthusiastic passion for entrepreneurship, Rico co-founded OneRent, onerent.co,  in 2014 with fellow Broncos  Greg Toschi, Evan Huang, and Chuck Hattemer.  OneRent is a Silicon Valley startup at heart, originally launched as a leasing website to serve college students looking for off-campus housing after being frustrated by the fragmented process in place.  As time went on, OneRent recognized an opportunity with the current infrastructure of the property management industry and took it upon themselves to streamline the entire leasing and management experience to develop a platform to forever change how the industry of property management works. 

OneRent logo with a neighborhood background

In just 4 months of their initial launch at Santa Clara University, 150 properties in Santa Clara contracted with OneRent (70% of total availability), 200 tenant users during the 3 month beta, and 800 tenant users in one month since the full launch.   Tenants and landlords alike enjoy the ease and peace of mind of OneRent's easy to use system, which processes signatures digitally through DocuSign, and partners with more than 20 major banks for online rent and deposit transfer-more secure and convenient than checks. 

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Active in CIE Enrichment Opportunities like our quarterly Office Hours for Entrepreneurs, Rico and his team has met with multiple alumni CIE Office Hours providers to discuss OneRent.  The CIE also was pleased to feature the OneRent team at well-received presentations to the CIE Advisory Board and as a part of the CIE presentations at SCU's Family Weekend, showcasing student startups.  TheOneRent team also participated in CIE's Startup Expo career and internship fair open to area startups, already giving back to the University by providing internship and career opportunities for fellow students. 

Rico is graduating with a major in Management Information Systems.  He is indeed a shining example of what entrepreneurship at Santa Clara can do for our communities. 

He will receive this award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 12 with a presentation by John Toppel, Dean's Executive Professor of Management.  Congratulations!


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Jordan Agnew Named
2014 Outstanding
Student Entrepreneur

Congratulations to 2014 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Jordan Agnew!   This honor is awarded annually by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.

When Jordan arrived at Santa Clara University as a freshman from Southern California, he hit the ground running with a number of ideas with the same theme--ways to make things better.  It's perhaps this thinking that makes him such a prime candidate for this award.

He was the youngest member of Santa Clara University's California Program for Entrepreneurship, having just completed his freshman year when he was accepted in the 2011 Cohort.   Jordan worked through several ventures throughout the program and certainly held his own with the graduate school-level content and was an active, engaged participant with an unmatched enthusiasm.

mumble logo

 

He co-founded Mumble with fellow SCU student Aaron Ebert, with the goal to help connect people with shared interests and provide a platform for polling trending topics.   In just 15 days, they had more than 150 mumblers polling 1,000 mumbles.   Jordan has shared the Mumble story at a number ofCenter for Innovation and Entrepreneurship presentations including a number of CIE Advisory Board meetings and before a standing-room-only crowd at SCU Family Weekend.

Jordan completes CAPE

Earlier this year, he brought his startup experience to the Leavey School of Business Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative, working with San Jose small businesses.  His team worked with Romero's Cakes, owned and operated by the Romero family for more than 20 years in Downtown San Jose.  Jordan immediately started putting together ideas of how he could help them.  In his own words, "A project like this is why I minored in Entrepreneurship; I love the idea of being part of a small business and trying to come up with simple ideas to improve it.   I have spent countless hours reviewing case studies, defining markets, analyzing financials and other "business school 101" activities, but this experience feels like the one for which I have been building my skills."

Jordan is graduating with a major in Finance and a minor in Entrepreneurship.  He is indeed a shining example of what entrepreneurship at Santa Clara can do for our communities. 

He will receive this award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 13 with a presentation by Dr. Kumar Sarangee, Assistant Professor of Marketing.

CAPE 2011 Jordan's class

 

Alexis Babb Named
2013 Outstanding
Student Entrepreneur

Alexis Babb Receives OSE
 

Congratulations to 2013 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Alexis Babb!  This honor is awarded annually by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.    

Alexis started her first business at age 10 when she crafted some napkin rings for her mother's dining room table and sold her designs to neighbors.  This hobby grew into a passion that led to a business she enjoyed and expanded throughout elementary and middle school--Designs by Alexis.  By the time she graduated high school, she was a vendor in over a dozen craft shows and holiday boutiques throughout the Bay Area, organized a craft show to raise more than $1,600 for the American Cancer Society, and had expanded her business to include a new product line of her own hand-crafted Brazilian agate jewelry.  

 

 

Anthony Prieto Named
2012 Outstanding
Student Entrepreneur

Two men posing; one holds a certificate labeled
Anthony Prieto and Dan Aguiar, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Programs
Photo by Adam Hays Photography
 

Congratulations to 2012 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Anthony Preito!  This honor is awarded annually by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.   

Anthony graduates with an Operations Management and Information Systems Major, a Retail Studies Minor and is one of the first students to receive a Minor in Entrepreneurship. 

Before Anthony joined Santa Clara University from his hometown of Encinitas, he already had a successful startup under his belt.  His interest in technology was well known with his family, so when a cousin asked Anthony to develop a website for his chiropractic practice, Anthony jumped at the challenge.  He enjoyed it so much that when asked "why don't you start your own business doing this?" he agreed.  That was the beginning of The Simple Web Solution.  His company has built custom websites for clients around the country in a variety of business sectors and industries. 

Here at Santa Clara, it wasn't long into his freshman year before he and a friend came up with the idea of a campus food delivery srevice.  Anthony and Arthur Gallagher wasted no time doing their research, testing, and working through the various channels at the University and Bon Appetit to make this a reality.  It clicked in 2010 when they purchased Bronco Student Services: a student-developed startup that provides SCU students with door-to-door laundry service and summer/abroad storage.  They added the delivery service to Bronco Student Services' successful platform and it's been off and running-literally-ever since. 

Anthony got involved with the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship in his freshman year, later serving as the Co-President of the SCEO (Santa Clara Entrepreneurs Organization) undergraduate student club, which, under his leadership, has grown to one of the largest clubs on campus.  He also served as an officer of the Retail Studies Student Association and was active in the OMIS student network and the MarComm network.  He has been an active participant in various competitions on campus, has serves as a competition judge, was a panelist for the CIE's Global Entrepreneurship Week student entrepreneur panel, worked together with other students and the CIE to bring Startup Expo to fruition (Startup Expo is a unique internship fair that brings Silicon Valley startups to Santa Clara to share internship opportunities with our students), presented to the CIE Advisory Board, was a repeat featured speaker with the CIE at Parents' Weekend, was a featured speaker with the Freshman Entrepreneurship Cohort of the Dean's Leadership Program, and has even taught a workshop on Google Apps through the University's Technology Training Courses.

His enthusiasm to bring people and events together to share knowledge and expertise is infectious-you cant talk to Anthony without immediately recognizing his passion and drive for the entrepreneurial spirit. Anthony was presented with this award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 15 with a presentation by Dr. Kumar Sarangee, Assistant Professor of Marketing.

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Four team members wearing matching 'SCEO' shirts pose together behind a table.Group of six people at the SCEO CEO Conference 2011.

 

Sol Tran named 2011 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur

 Two people holding a certificate titled

  
       Dan Aguiar, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Programs, and Sol Tran

Congratulations to 2010 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Sol Tran!  This honor is awarded by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.

An true role model for all students enrolled in the CIE program, Sol has been an exemplary student of entrepreneurship with the experience of his own startups, winning various competitions, attending national conferences, and all of his contributions to the undergraduate Santa Clara Entrepreneurs Organization (SCEO).

Sol's Startups

An ardent entrepreneur himself, Sol had started up several companies throughout his time at Santa Clara. His freshman year, he and his business  partner Raju Sagiraju beA person smiles near a waterfront with people in the background.gan to build YourQuad.com, a high school blog site that would serve as an online hub for schools regarding campus activities, sports, and more. Learning from his initial experience, he progressed through his sophomore year and decided to start CampusKiwi as Chief Financial Officer with Chief Executive Officer Conrad Egusa. As CFO, Sol gained tremendous hands-on experience with sales, website work, and pitching to many Venture Capitalists and other investors. Currently, a new startup of Sol's may be underway!

 

Santa Clara Entrepreneurs Organization

Involved since his freshman year, Sol soon became Co-President of the Santa Clara Entrepreneurs Organization and worked diligently to strengthen various aspects the club. When asked about his commitment to the organization, Sol replied, "SCEO was my biggest passion at Santa Clara University." Indeed, the club grew as it implemented many new events, competitions, speakers, a fully-functional website, and much more.

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Competitions

Through his involvement with SCEO, Sol has taken part in several competitions on and off campus related to entrepreneurship. Congratulations once again on winning the 2009 Furlong Business Plan Competition and 2011 Internal Be A Venture Capitalist (BeAVC) Competition, and also on being a finalist in the Venture Capitalist Investment Competition at Stanford and twice in the Regional BeAVC Competition!

 

     Five people holding a large check from SCE for $3,000.

Conferences

Taking the initiative to further develop his skills and network as an entrepreneur, Sol has attended various national conferences that focus on startups and new innovation. He has been to the TiEcon conference, Tech Crunch conference in New York, and the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization conference in Chicago.Five people standing in front of a

Other Startups

Sol has served significantly at a few other startups in the Silicon Valley as an intern, and, in doing so, was able to work at different stages of company growth from beginning to end. At Kase Networks, a systems management company, Sol was the head of social marketing and a lead generation analyst. He even had the unique opportunity to sit right next to the CEO and all of the VPs as the company's revenue tripled and was acquired by Dell. Sol later on worked for a rising Facebook advertising company, GraphScience, as the seventh employee. As he saw his direct individual impact on the company's success, his love for being an entrepreneur was even further cemented.

CIE Involvement

Sol has been an ambassador of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and an exceptional role model for students in the program. Not only has he received his Certificate in Entrepreneurship, but he has also taken full advantage of all of the opportunities offered by the CIE. He has met with mentors, attended various Silicon Valley events in the area, and has always been an advocate for events sponsored by the CIE.

     People sitting at a round table at a conference.

Fun Facts

  • Sol has written 9 TechBeat articles for SCU's school newspaper, The Santa Clara, on Tech Crunch, Top 10 Tech Trends, The Future of Smartphones, Lacrosse, and more!
  • Sol's personal goals include starting his own company to sell for at least $50 million, and someday become a Venture Capitalist!

     Three people walking in front of modern buildings in Chicago.

Sol will receive this Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 10 presented by H. Buford Barr, Lecturer in Marketing and Lecturer in Communication. 

Congratulations, Sol Tran!

 

~Arlene Bhagat
Marketing, Communications & Logistics Assistant

 

Joel Ching Named 2010 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur


Two individuals holding certificates and standing side by side.Joel Ching and Dan Aguiar, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Programs

Congratulations to 2010 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Joel Ching!  This honor is awarded by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to a graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.   

An exemplary model of the entrepreneurial spirit, Joel has been a standout student with his own startup, Koa Notes, his participation in multiple business plan and elevator pitch competitions, and his contributions to both the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the undergraduate student entrepreneurship club the SCEO.

Two people interacting in a classroom setting on Oahu.

Joel recently served as the Director of the Oahu Camp BizSmart, a two-week innovative entrepreneurial and leadership academy where students age 11-15 learn to compete in a global economy with the core values of teaching business and entrepreneurial skills grounded in character, courage and citizenship. The CIE is a proud sponsor of the Santa Clara Camp Biz Smart to be held on campus in August. 

Camp BizSmart founders Dr. Michael Gibbs and Peggy Gibbs first met Joel when Camp BizSmart was barely a year old, as they were recruiting bright, curious and smart Santa Clara business students to help them grow. Knowing he was from Hawaii, they immediately began thinking of running a camp on Oahu, and Joel said: "sure, why not".   He did an outstanding job, inspiring a small, eager band of "tweenpreneurs" on the island of Oahu to come up with some really cool ideas, which the students pitched live to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.

In addition to being on board for a second year of directing the Hawaii Camp BizSmart, Joel will spend a year in Japan to teach English through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Porgramme (JET Programme) before returning to the Santa Clara area. 

He has been an ambassador of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a true role model for students in the program. Joel will receive this award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 11 with a presentation by Dr. Michael Gibbs.  He was awarded a separate certificate at the June CIE Advisory Board meeting.

Congratulations!

Man in suit delivering a presentation with a microphone.

Kevin Carter Named Outstanding Student Entrepreneur

Four people standing in a garage with bicycles.

Congratulations to 2008-2009 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Kevin Carter (second from right).  

This honor is awarded by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to the graduating student enrolled in the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in recognition of significant achievements in the program, acknowledgment of accomplishments in entrepreneurship and the promise of future success.   

 

Kevin is an exemplary model of the entrepreneurial spirit.  Just a few of his many accomplishments while in the entrepreneurship program include his active leadership role with the undergraduate student entrepreneurship club, the SCEO; his founding of Bronco Bikes, a student-run bike share program; and his pioneering of the CIE’s Mentor Program, making a lasting impression for students for years to come.

 

During his time here, Kevin has worked for and interned with Silicon Valley Bank and Affinity Circles and has recently accepted a position with Baseline Ventures in San Francisco.

 

He has been an ambassador for the Center for Innovation and
Entrepreneurship and a true role model for the students in the program. Kevin will receive this award at the Leavey School of Business Senior Awards Ceremony on June 12 with a presentation by CIE Advisory Board Chairman Steve Foster '84.


A person in a garage surrounded by red bicycles.