Feb. 22, 2008

Bismarck, ND Next week, a select group of U-Mary business students will have a unique opportunity to get invaluable feedback on their entrepreneurial ventures from a panel of distinguished area business leaders and compete for cash prizes to take their ideas to the next level. Tuesday, Feb. 26, the University of Mary will hold its seventh annual Entrepreneurship Fair.

Beginning at 9 a.m., in the Harold Schafer Leadership Center, students in the business track of the nationally recognized Harold Schafer Emerging Leaders Academy will present their individual and team projects for evaluation and critique. Winners will be announced at a 1:30 p.m. awards luncheon, with the top entry earning a cash prize of $2,000 and a crystal trophy inscribed with the name of North Dakota business legend Harold Schafer, the inspiration for the academy and U-Mary's entrepreneurship programs. And all participants will get specific, real-world input to assist them in getting their business plans off the ground, as well as experience in presenting their ideas to business professionals.

"E-Fair is exciting, intense, and instructive," says Nicole Morrison-Mathern, director of the Harold Schafer Emerging Leaders Academy in Business. "It has an 'Apprentice'/'American Idol' flavor, but puts a premium on being constructive and supportive. The judges really want to help the participants succeed, many times taking them under their wing in a mentorship role after the competition.

"Students who take part in the E-Fair get guiDance and advice from professionals in the business world on how to encourage and grow their entrepreneurial abilities. Without the support of the ELA and its partners in the business community, these entrepreneurial ventures might not go beyond being great ideas."

In past years, E-Fair champions have gone on to patent their products in preparation for bigger and better things, and Tony Wood, '07, McCall, ID, who took top honors in the last E-Fair with his High Mountain Custom Molding, is pursuing his M.B.A. and manages the Tharaldson School of Business I.D.E.A. (Incubator for Developing Entrepreneurial Activity) Center. E-Fair participants are encouraged to compete in other state, regional, and national competitions.

This year, the U-Mary E-Fair, which was the first event of its kind in North Dakota, will be held during National Entrepreneurship Week. Participants include Jack Glasser and Rebekah Jarvey, who took 1st and 2nd place, respectively, in the university's November 2007 Idea Fair. "It's all part of U-Mary's effort to provide its students with the skills, tools, experience, and network they need to be entrepreneurs in the best and most successful sense of the word," says Morrison-Mathern.

2008 E-Fair Entries/Participants

cheapnightout.com - Brent Ritter ('02, M.Ed. student, Mound City, SD), Devon Savrosky ('08, Killdeer, ND), Brianna Perry ('11, Great Falls, MT)


Bar and restaurant evening specials Web site service

Glasser Images - Jack Glasser ('11, Bismarck)


Photography business

NRG In Action LLC Ð Stephanie Sandstrom ('08, Minot, ND)


High school consulting services

Woman Who Carries Sweetgrass Trading Post Ð Rebekah Jarvey ('09, Bismarck)


Native American arts and crafts

2008 Judges

Dwight Hinkel, Applied Engineering

Niles Huschka, Kadrmas Lee & Jackson

Tara Holt, The Center for Technology & Business

Brad Scott, Scott Financial Corp.

Matt Stucke, alum and past E-Fair winner, Edward Jones

Chris Tietz, Sherlock Homes

Dewey Tietz, Cross Country Courier | save this article / add to your favorites list