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Interview date: March 25, 2009
Business Club Vice President: Ian Rohwer |
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Q1. Can you tell us about the Business Club?
A. As one of the 40 currently active ASFC OBD clubs, the Business Club is a group of Foothill students dedicated to promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship. Through campus events, invitational guest speakers and a broad panel of community supporters and advisors, the Business Club creates an educational and inspirational environment for transferring along the skills and knowledge needed to succeed both in the world of academia and the world of business abroad.
Q2. How many members do you have?
A. Currently (2008-09), we have over 125 active members including 5 committee members; President Jessica Lays and Vice-Presidents Willy Ng, Ian Rohwer, Tina Chan and Secretary Ruby Siu Sing. Usually before and during the Business Plan Competition event, more students join the club because we organize many informative guest lectures for the Business Plan Competition.
Q3. What are the main activities & achievements of the Business Club?
A. The biggest activity of the Business Club is the annual Foothill Business Plan Competition and we also organize guest speakers and informational workshops throughout the year. For the club members, we have a mentor system for students who need academic support for their business related course works. In addition, we provide on-campus internships at Foothill Entrepreneur Center and off-campus internships. Our club was selected for the Organization Board of Directors (OBD) Best Club for Winter Quarter 2009 and our club President, Jessica Lays, received recognition from the National Association of Community Colleges for Entrepreneurship for her presentation on Google Strategies for Entrepreneurs and Educators.
Q4. Can you tell us more about Foothill Business Plan Competition?
 A. The Foothill College Business Plan Competition was launched in 2008 to allow students to experience what many entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley do on a regular basis which is presenting their ideas to venture capital firms on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California.
We hosted its second annual Foothill Business Plan Competition May 21, in which eight teams of students competed for $10,000 in scholarships and the opportunity to pitch their plans to a distinguished panel of business experts. The Foothill students experienced what it’s like to pitch a business plan to a group of potential investors and gained real-world experience in the process. Initially 100 students submitted 30 business plans for the competition, of which 18 were invited to present to judges in April. From there, eight teams were invited to present May 21.
The scholarship prizes were awarded to the top five teams:
First Place: Steven Brady, Campbell, $4,000
Second Place: Edna Chan and Akul Aggarwal, $2,500
Third Place: Sy Bohy, $1,500
Fourth Place: Ashkan Parpinchee and Daniel Korzinski, $1,000
Fifth Place: Robin Soderblom, $1,000
This year’s panel of experts included representatives from investment banking and venture capitals, many of whom review business plan proposals daily.
Our advisor and the director of the Foothill Entrepreneur Center, Glenn Violett said "Our vision is to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in our students and our community and to develop students into business leaders."
Q5. As a member of the Business Club, what did you gain from the club?
A. I have been participating in the Business Club for about a year. I gained real world knowledge as well as networking skills by meeting several CEOs, Venture Capitalists and investors. One of the biggest achievements was establishing Foothill Entrepreneur Center (FEC), which our members and our advisor Glenn Violett started from zero. We prepared a business plan for FEC, including the mission statement, business feasibility analysis and financial statements for about a year, and it was finally launched in January 2008. I think the Business Club offers tremendous opportunities for bridging students with real world business.
Q6. Why do you think Foothill Students should join the club?
A. Students interested in any area of Business, Economics, Accounting or Entrepreneurship should join the Business Club, as we provide an excellent atmosphere to network and learn within an exceptional group of peers. By joining the club, you can also earn units for volunteer hours & leadership service hours (logging your hours in a journal). We are open to all interests and encourage students to promote events that they are passionate about during our open forum at club meetings. No prior knowledge or experience in any area is required, just a willingness to learn, collaborate, and have fun.
Q7. How can students join the club?
A. Visit Student Activities Office, Room 2009 for contact information. You can also check our Google group or website at www.foothillentrepreneurs.com to see if there is an alternate event. Please contact our advisor Professor Glenn Violett (violettglenn@fhda.edu) for more details.
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| Edited by Hyunmi Lee(amyfoothill@gmail.com) |
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