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SF State entrepreneurs learn to succeed

December 6, 2006

Photo of a group of entrepreneurship students discussing their class project, creating cushioning for an egg-dropWhile many business students are learning the theories and practices for success in the business community, SF State gives a fresh, hands-on experience to an exceptional type of business student: the entrepreneur.

The Ohrenschall Center for Entrepreneurship, directed by Associate Professor of Management Connie Marie Gaglio, provides enrichment activities and real-life networking opportunities for students majoring in entrepreneurial/small business management.

The center helps undergraduates develop a network of connections and become innovative, high-gross entrepreneurs, Gaglio said. First-year students conduct an industry analysis and interview industry experts, and second-year students perform a "living case study" on a specific business.

Gaglio encourages creative problem-solving among her students. When asked to cushion a dropped egg with a choice of items including a plastic cup or brick, one group of students discovered that crushing the brick into powder was the obvious solution. Gaglio wasn't surprised. "We try to get them to look beyond the obvious answer, because that's what you need to do in entrepreneurship," she said.

James Vossoughi, a first-year student, is applying his newfound analytical skills to his real estate firm internship at Portland-Pacific. According to company owner Christopher Zupsic, interns must be actively involved in or predisposed toward an entrepreneurial program. Vossoughi's experience with industry analysis through SF State's program mirrors his job at Portland Pacific, where he is conducting an in-depth study of the local residential market.

Stallar Lufrano, a senior in the program, looks forward to opening a skate and snowboard clothing and equipment company upon graduation. "The teachers in the entrepreneurship program are much different than any of the other teachers I've ever had," she said, adding that their passion for the subject matter is infectious.

Students in the program will soon launch a San Francisco chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization and an Association of Entrepreneurs.

-- Student Writer Lisa Rau with Ellen Griffin

         

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Last modified December 6, 2006 by University Communications