OCTC Student Entrepreneurs Advance from Region to State Finals

by Bernie Hale

Owensboro, KY (03/29/2018) — Owensboro Community & Technical College had two teams in the IDEA State U regional competition held at Brescia University on Monday, March 26. The two OCTC teams competed in the Business Model Competition at the event and qualified to participate at the state level. The OCTC students who competed were Jason Nash and Nikki Glenn, both are freshman and full-time students.

Idea State U is Kentucky's premier statewide business venture competition open to student teams from any Kentucky college or university. These student teams research, design and present ideas for proposed new companies, competing for a share of over $100,000 in prize money.

"We are so proud of these students for their work and for showing initiative to participate in this competition. This is how dreams get started and grow. We wish them the best of luck at the state competition, but they are already winners in our eyes" commented Scott Williams, OCTC President.

Jason Nash, is a freshman who lives in Philpot. He advanced with his "Tailgaters, LLC" concept, serving award-winning barbecue from a food truck. Jason and his family have served their products at various competitions and won numerous awards for their cuisine, including an awards at Owensboro's International BBQ Festival.

Nikki Glenn, who resides in Rockport, Indiana, advanced with her concept for a home bakery operation "Sweet Indulgence Bakery and Confectionary" which would support non-profits that empower young women and girls. The charities supported by the sale of a variety of baked goods include: GIRLS, Inc., Crossroads Women's Emergency Shelter, Boys and Girls Club, OASIS Spouse Abuse Shelter, and the Women's Entrepreneurial Project.

"The students wish to express special thanks to Professor Mike Boyd and Professor Debbie Ruth for their tremendous support in preparing for the competition" said Dr. Bob Glenn, faculty sponsor for the teams.

Idea State U has helped aspiring entrepreneurs gain exposure for their innovative business ideas and receive feedback on how to turn those ideas into reality. The competition is open to students who are currently enrolled in their school's spring semester or were enrolled in the immediate preceding summer or fall semester,

Idea State U is not just for those interested in entrepreneurism or business. Students in any educational discipline can benefit by understanding how a new business starts and operates, as well as gaining skills in strategy development and execution.

The 2018 Idea State U competition will be held April 21, 2018 at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics.

Owensboro Community & Technical College is one of the sixteen community and technical colleges that make up the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. OCTC serves the KY counties of Daviess, Hancock, Ohio and McLean. OCTC has three campuses in Daviess County and a Center and Annex in Hancock County. OCTC strives to serve the communities in the service area by providing associate degree education for transfer, state of the art technical education for students focusing on entering the workforce, customized business and industry solutions through the Workforce Solutions division, and adult education and business and industry testing through the SkillTrain unit.

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth's largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky's largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.

Connect with OCTC: Owensboro.kctcs | Facebook.com/owensboroctc | Twitter@OCTC_Tweets | Instagram OwensboroCTC

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OCTC Student Entrepreneurs Advance from Region to State Finals

Owensboro Community & Technical College had two teams in the IDEA State U regional competition held at Brescia University on Monday, March 26. The two OCTC teams competed in the Business Model Competition at the event and qualified to participate at the state level. The OCTC students who competed were Jason Nash and Nikki Glenn, both are freshman and full-time students.