These Gryphons Mean Business

Julia Cabrera ‘15 weaves between packed tables in CSW’s Dining Hall, balancing three large red cups adorned with green straws on an oversize tray. “Boba Tea? Would you like to buy a freshly made cup of delicious Chai Boba Tea?” she asks fellow students, as well as thirsty CSW faculty and staff members. There are over three hundred potential customers and community members for her and her “Entrepreneurship” B-block classmates to attract. The Mod ends in under a week. She must act quickly!

 

Julia is one of 11 students in the Mod 5 “Entrepreneurship” class, taught by Math teacher Evelina Galper. Designed to lay a basic foundation for what is needed to start and run a simple business, students are tasked with various hands-on assignments that help them understand several core aspects of being an entrepreneur, such as preparing an income statement, understanding basic marketing, performing cost/benefit analysis, and calculating return on investment. 

 

Halfway through the Mod the class was split up into two groups for their final project. With some basic concepts under their belt, the task was to design and develop a small business venture that could involve the CSW community, support a worthy cause, and follow a sustainable business model.

 

Julia is part of the five-member team that calls itself ‘BioBlends,’ an on-campus, healthy drink/smoothie bar located near the entrance of the Dining Hall. To build their customer base, the team started their venture by offering free samples of a variety of drinks. Within a few days, they had set up an elaborate smoothie station and sales were booming.

In addition to selling reasonably priced and nutritious drinks at lunchtime (try the Ice Ice Baby – a refreshing combination of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, honey, and ice!), the team decided to honor CSW’s commitment to sustainability by selling a biodegradable, reusable mug as an alternative to the standard plastic cup. Selling the “Sustainability at CSW” mugs for $10 apiece, the ‘BioBlends’ team promises a discount on all drinks purchased when refilling your new BioMug!

 

The second student-led project is a complete departure from the smoothie bar. ‘The Department Apocalypse Challenge' is an elaborate and fun community building activity that brings together various academic, as well as non-academic departments, and the student body.

 

In late February, a call for participation was put out to faculty and staff on campus.

 

“All we ask of departments who would like to participate is a short video explaining, ‘Why we (the students), should vote for your department to protect us against a zombie apocalypse (what unique things could your department do to defend us).’”

 

Several departments jumped headfirst into the activity, creating short and often hilarious videos on how they would protect the community from a 'fictional' zombie attack.

 

In an effort to raise funds from the activity and facilitate participation from the community, the student team created CSW-themed crossword puzzles, customized stickers, and hand drawn notebook/postcards, featuring department specific Gryphons. Each product purchased counts as a “vote” toward that specific department. The catch? 50% of all profits are awarded to the winning department, which they will then donate to the specific CSW Annual Fund cause of their choosing (For instance, they can chose to support 'Financial Aid,’ ‘Social Justice,’ or ‘Technology and Innovation, to name a few). Meanwhile, the team sent ‘teaser’ video emails throughout the Mod and showed the full zombie compilation video to a packed theatre during a recent open block.

 

With just a few days left in the Mod, the teams are scrambling to finish up their sales and wrap up their advertising efforts. Both teams have earned profits in the three figures! In the process, they’ve developed an understanding of what it means to be an entrepreneur and how they can use their unique skills and talents to start a small business venture, all while raising money for a good cause and bringing the community of CSW together.

 

Meet us at the ‘BioBlends’ table. We’re buying.

 

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Check out the CSW Zombie Apocalypse Teaser Trailer on YouTube and

look out for ‘The Department Apocalypse Challenge’ table and the ‘BioBlends’ table at Friday’s End-of-Mod Art Show! They are grateful for your business!