Up for a challenge? Cash prizes offered in two competitions

Informational meetings for two student competitions offering prizes totaling $16,500 have been set for next week.

• Students who are interested in competing for a total of $9000 in prizes in the Alumni Association Marketing Competition should attend the session scheduled by Michael Sposili, director of alumni affairs and college events, this Monday, January 31 at 7 p.m. in Davis Auditorium.
  
  
• Students who are interested in competing for a total of $7500 in prizes in the 2011 Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition should attend the session scheduled by RoyRotheim, professor of economics, for Thursday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. in Palamountain Room202.

    
The Alumni Association Marketing Competition - made possible by contributions fromSkidmore Trustees Michele Dunkerley '80 and Bill Ladd '83 - aims to encourage students to give their best thinking to developing a marketing and communications plan that promotes alumni engagement with the college and one another, and extends the Creative Thought Matters brand. A panel consisting of Alumni Board and Council of 100 members, two of Skidmore's lead volunteer groups, will evaluate first-round submissions. They will narrow the submissions to a list of finalists, and then serve as judges for Round II submissions.

"We look forward to seeing and implementing the most creative ideas that students can come up with," said Sposili. "The Alumni Board feels it's important to get a student perspective on this, and we greatly appreciate the contribution that Michele and Bill are making on this."

The 2011 Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competitionwill award prizes valued at $7500 to the Skidmore student or team of students who writes the best business plan. The prizes are intended to act as a catalyst to help students start a new business or to assist the development of their existing business.

The impetus for this competition comes from Kenneth A. Freirich, Skidmore Class of 1990, serial entrepreneur, executive and currently President of Health Monitor Network. Freirich returned to Skidmore last October as the College's first Entreprenuer in Residence where he issued an "Entrepreneurship/Creativity Challenge" to the student body. Inspired by the impressive talent, creativity and effort that went into the student presentations, Freirich has decided to take things to the next level: launching a business plan competition to foster entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity among Skidmore students.

A panel of experts made up of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, accountants, lawyers, executives and members of the Department of Management and Business will evaluate the submitted business plans. They will narrow the submissions to a list of finalists, and then serve as judges for a formal presentation of those business plans to be held in April, 2011.

"Ken Freirich's sponsorship of this competition is a real tribute to the energy and entrepreneurial enthusiasm he saw in Skidmore students during his visit to the campus this fall," said Rotheim. "This is a great opportunity for students to put their creativity to work, and I encourage students in all majors to give serious thought to Ken's challenge and enter."