Idea competition comes to campus
Linda Kessler / Staff Writer
This week, StartUP will be debuting Campus 2.1, an idea competition which aims to bring together students from all backgrounds to come up with their most innovative campus ideas. The contest, held April 3 and 4 in collaboration with Innovation Greenhouse, promises the possibility of winning concepts being implemented across campus.
StartUP is an organization made up of students from different majors who are passionate about innovation. They work together with businesses, student organizations, faculty and students to help connect people with the resources to accomplish their goals.
“If you make sure to get everybody everything they’ve ever wanted, you will get everything you’ve ever wanted,” StartUP president and finance senior Isaac Serrata said. “That sums up how we work and why we do everything that we do for other people.”
Assistant administrator and finance senior Nicolas Kaufmann said he joined StartUP because of their focus on collaboration and connecting students.
“We will try to connect [students] with the right person for what they want to do, then we will help them along the way there,” Kaufmann said.
Kaufmann said Campus 2.1 summarizes what StartUP stands for because it allows them to bring together student organizations to give presentations and then students can come in and learn from them.
StartUP got the idea for Campus 2.1 after some members of its leadership competed in an event hosted by Innovation Greenhouse called Campus 2.0 and won. Serrata talked with Nancy Hong from Innovation Greenhouse and asked her to be one of StartUP’s faculty advisors. Together they came up with the idea of combining powers with the Campus 2.1 idea competition.
“Campus 2.0 was geared to techies,” Serrata said. “The biggest difference is that we don’t want to tailor to just one group, we want everybody to be involved.”
StartUP is expecting anywhere from 80 to 120 people to attend the day-and-a-half event in Sycamore Hall 119. The first day begins at 5 p.m. with presentations by co-hosting student organizations. Raffles and prizes will be given away to students who attend.
“The prizes are still adding up,” Serrata said. “Our club is paying for the event and we just want people to get together and bring their innovative ideas to the table no matter what it takes.”
In two days, StartUP received support from nearly 20 area business in the form of more than $500 in gift cards for prizes.
“We really believe that personal relations, being genuine, and just trying to initiate those relationships with other people are the keys to that,” Serrata said.
Treasurer and business junior Madison Smith said StartUP is about making connections with established people.
“What you do in college is not just about attending,” Smith said. “It’s not just about what you know, it’s about who you know.”
Smith joined StartUP after opening her own antique booth because she wanted to learn how to manage it.
“I’m a treasurer for the first time so I’m definitely working my way through learning the steps of it and I think that’ll translate to how I can manage my money with my own business,” Smith said.
Serrata explained the being a part of StartUP is going to help and be good practice for anyone involved, regardless of where they’re going in life.
“No matter what you do, communication and relations are going to be the most important things people look for,” Serrata said. “So even if we don’t pinpoint on their interest or major exactly, we’re making a point to help them no matter what they do.”
Featured Image: Finance seniors Isaac Serrata, left, and Nicolas Kaufmann are involved with a new organization called StartUP UNT. The group is focused on increasing social connectivity and collaborations with students through innovative processes. Photo by Adrian Warfield – Staff Photographer
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