NCC Student Entrepreneurs Go to Boot Camp
Bethlehem, PA (02/15/2019) — Northampton Community College (NCC) launched an eight -week startup boot camp program on January 28 at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) in the Fowler Family Southside Center. Students submitted a one-page application describing their business idea, and seventeen students were chosen to participate.
Participating students and their programs are as follows:
Amadou Camara, Architecture
Kevin Legrand, Mechanical/ Aerospace Engineering
Seddik Ben-Lamine, Information Technology
Carter McKinney, Business Administration
Nevy Harris, Nursing
Chelsea Greber, Business Administration
Angela Boasiako, Business Administration
Jill Ann Suda, CIT/ Administration
Mathew Craft, Media Production
Joan Avornu, Computer Application Development
Latasia Davis, Nursing
Alisha Dennis, Dental Hygiene
Brian J. Duben, Undeclared
Michael Nieves, History
Wael Samaan, Culinary Arts
Shayna Canty, Liberal Arts, English
Carter McKinney, who was selected for the competitive program, says, "it's an amazing opportunity for students to connect with business and entrepreneurial leaders. The Follett Family Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has given me all the resources and more to strive for my goals."
Each week the students will participate in three-hour sessions where they will brainstorm ideas, listen to outside speakers and experts, collaborate with each other, develop a customer profile and identify resources that they will need to move their ideas forward. If their idea requires a prototype, they will work with NCC's Fab Lab. Participants have the eight weeks to develop their ideas and prepare for the final pitch, which will take place on March 26 at the CIE.
The winning idea will represent NCC at the Lehigh Valley Collegiate Business Pitch Competition in April of 2019. This event takes place at the Ben Franklin Institute.
Raja Bhattacharya, director of the CIE, says, "The program will allow students to experience what it really takes to develop an idea for it to be viable. It will also help students understand and develop an entrepreneurial mindset and problem-solving skills. Failing and learning from that failure is also a big component of the program."
Nevy Harris, a student in the program, feels, "the boot camp has opened a door that I wasn't sure was possible. At the boot camp I'm finding out that that one product I dreamed of inventing might not be just a dream anymore."
The program is free to the students accepted, and any current NCC student can apply to be a part of the boot camp. New boot camp programs will be held each spring. To find out more about the program, contact Raja Bhattacharya at rbhattacharya@northampton.edu or (610) 332-8661.
