Carissa McAfee Places in 2018 Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge

2018 Mar 21

Carissa McAfee of Valley Falls, Kansas, won first place and $2,500 in the Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge for "Expression Through Art" a hybrid nonprofit that envisions a world where arts opportunities are offered for every special needs individual in order to foster confidence, communication, and peer interaction.

The competition began with 41 teams working their way through three rounds of judging - an executive summary review, oral presentation, and community showcase. Eighteen teams competed at the Community Showcase, the final round.

“Competing in the Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge has helped me develop a concept that I am very passionate about,” said McAfee. “The feedback I’ve received from the judges and the faculty here at the School of Business has helped me reach this point in the competition. It has been an amazing experience that I am very grateful for!”

"The students who entered this competition have had a great experience!" says Dr. Ed Bashaw, dean of the ESU School of Business. "This competition is a true example of high-impact learning, something we pride ourselves with at ESU. All of the winners are very passionate about their idea, and I believe they will pursue their concepts well past the competition."

Another component of the challenge will include Share Your Story Night hosted by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce on April 10. The top four teams will deliver their pitches again to a group of local business professionals for feedback to improve their concepts.