Travis Downing Assistant Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Leadership and Development (Sport Administrator: Cross Country and Track & Field) | Central Michigan Chippewas Website
Travis Downing Assistant Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Leadership and Development (Sport Administrator: Cross Country and Track & Field) | Central Michigan Chippewas Website
In Mount Pleasant, Michigan, two Central Michigan University student-athletes recently achieved success in the New Venture Challenge (NVC), a competition designed to support entrepreneurial initiatives among students. The event offers participants the chance to present their business ideas and compete for start-up funding.
Lawai'a Brown, a football player at CMU, secured the top prize of $20,000 with his innovative project: Dominator Cleats. This venture focuses on developing a hinge mechanism to enhance the flexibility of football cleats. Brown explained, "Out of the box, cleats are stiff and there is a break-in process that can lead to injuries such as turf toe and ankle sprains."
AJ Kostic, a baseball player for CMU, received $5,000 for his project involving oil-based personal care products like soaps. Both athletes dedicated significant time to product development while gaining practical experience through CMU's Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Kaye Reimers, manager of the Isabella Bank Entrepreneurship program and event, highlighted the importance of practical skills and innovative thinking in the NVC. "Our goals are to teach practical skills and inspire innovative thinking and connect students with mentors and other resources," she said.
Brown and Kostic credited their athletic backgrounds for helping them manage the pressure during their presentations at French Auditorium. Brown expressed gratitude towards his support team, including Chippewa football equipment manager Nate Mason, athletic trainer Christina Payton, and entrepreneurship professor John Gustincic. "Big shoutout to my team. Without them I wouldn't have been able to be successful," he stated.
Kostic reflected on his experience presenting before an audience: "I was a little nervous about presenting it... But this, you're (alone) in front of a hundred people there." He noted that once he began his presentation slides, he felt more confident.
The NVC serves as an opportunity for students like Brown and Kostic to apply classroom knowledge in real-world scenarios while preparing them for future business endeavors post-graduation.
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