September 5, 2008

Indiana high school students complete participation in Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy

The vouchers, which were awarded during a luncheon in the South Ballroom of Purdue University's Memorial Union, ranged from $100 to $500 and can be used to offset the costs of higher education. Tuition vouchers can be used at all Purdue University campuses, Indiana University at Kokomo and Ivy Tech. Students participating in the academy were juniors and seniors from 17 Indiana counties.

The David E. Ross Award of Entrepreneurial Distinction, an individual award, also was presented at the luncheon to Alex Sventeckis of Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis. The award included a $500 voucher.

During the weeklong Entrepreneurship Academy, aspiring entrepreneurs learned how to identify a possible business, develop a product or service, create a marketing plan and pitch the idea to potential investors. The academy was made possible through a $35,000 grant from Indiana's Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, or WIRED, program and organized by the Purdue Research Park.

About Purdue Research Park

The 725-acre Purdue Research Park (https://www.purdueresearchpark.com) has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 150 companies. About 100 of these firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses. The park was ranked No. 1 in 2004 for university-affiliated research parks and received the 2005 Outstanding Commercialization Award, both from the Association of University Research Parks. The park's companies also have received numerous recognitions, including a 2006 MIRA Award: Innovation of the Year for Purdue Research Park/Quadraspec Inc. and a 2005 CoreNet Global Innovators Award finalist. The Purdue Research Park is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, the foundation has established or is currently constructing technology parks in other locations around Indiana including Merrillville, New Albany and Indianapolis.

The award recipients are listed below with the following information (sorted by name, city, state): 

CITY — ST — ZIP — FIRST NAME — LAST NAME —  SCHOOL/MAJOR — AWARD/HONOR PROGRAM — AWARD VALUE IF APPLICABLE 

Bedford — IN — 47421 — Dairen — JEAN — Bedford North Lawrence High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Carmel — IN — 46032 — Ricardo — AGUIRRE — Guerin Catholic High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Carmel — IN — 46033 — Nick — SAPP — Guerin Catholic High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Cayuga — IN — 47928 — Micah — DIXON — North Vermillion High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Colfax — IN — 46035 — Samantha — ESTES — Clinton Prairie High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Fishers — IN — 46037 — Alex — SVENTECKIS — Park Tudor High School — David E. Ross Award of Entrepreneurial Distinction — $500 

Fowler — IN — 47944 — Miranda — MCCORMACK — Benton Central High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 2nd Place Team — $250 

Frankfort — IN — 46041 — Benjamin — BAUGH — Frankfort High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 3rd Place Team — $100 

Frankfort — IN — 46041 — Yudith — CRUZ — Frankfort High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Frankfort — IN — 46041 — Madison — DONOHO — Frankfort High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 2nd Place Team — $250 

Frankfort — IN — 46041 — Josiah — LAUGHNER — Frankfort High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Frankfort — IN — 46041 — Adam — MOORE — Clinton Central High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Gary — IN — 46408 — Brandon — CAMPBELL — Thea Bowman Leadership Academy — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Gary — IN — 46049 — Priscilla — GIPSON — Thea Bowman Leadership Academy — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Gary — IN — 46407 — Brittany — MORRIS — Thea Bowman Leadership Academy — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Greencastle — IN — 46135 — Hilary — SCHROEDER — Greencastle High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Greencastle — IN — 46135 — Blake — VERMILLION — Greencastle High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 2nd Place Team — $250 

Highland — IN — 46322 — Michael — LACHOWIEC — Highland High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Highland — IN — 46322 — Jill — RONAYNE — Highland High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Indianapolis — IN — 46256 — Alex — CURTIS — Lawrence North High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 1st Place Team — $500 

Indianapolis — IN — 46236 — Connor — MILLER — Lawrence North High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Indianapolis — IN — 46220 — Eric — PRECHTEL — Cathedral High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Indianapolis — IN — 46256 — Michelle — WAGNER — Lawrence North High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Kokomo — IN — 46902 — Matthew — WILLIAMS — Taylor High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 3rd Place Team — $100 

Kokomo — IN — 46902 — William — ZHAO — Kokomo High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 2nd Place Team — $250 

Lafayette — IN — 47904 — Mathew — ALTEPETER — Jefferson High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Lafayette — IN — 47905 — Tyler — ANDERSON — Harrison High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 3rd Place Team — $100 

Logansport — IN — 46947 — R.J. — BAKER — Century Career Center — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Logansport — IN — 46947 — Princessa — RENNEWANZ — Logansport High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 3rd Place Team — $100 

Logansport — IN — 46947 — Zyon — RENNEWANZ — Logansport High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 1st Place Team — $500 

Michigantown — IN — 46057 — Jordan — WOODARD — Clinton Central High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Monticello — IN — 47960 — James — ELLIOTT — North White High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Munster — IN — 46321 — Stephanie — BAKER — Munster High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Munster — IN — 46321 — Mitchell — HANAK — Munster High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Munster — IN — 46321 — Viraj — MANIAR — Munster High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 2nd Place Team — $250 

Plainfield — IN — 46168 — Candice — SANDBERG — Plainfield High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Tippecanoe — IN — 46570 — Jennifer — STRYCKER — Triton High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Versailles — IN — 47042 — Cody — GEISLER — South Ripley High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Wabash — IN — 46992 — Frank — GRANGER — Wabash High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

Wabash — IN — 46992 — Ashley — SNYDER — Wabash High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 3rd Place Team — $100 

West Lafayette — IN — 47906 — Nitesh — BAJAJ — West Lafayette High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

West Lafayette — IN — 47906 — Jamie — BARNES — Benton Central High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

West Lafayette — IN — 47906 — Ashley — DEUTSCH — West Lafayette High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 1st Place Team — $500

West Lafayette — IN — 47906 — Kaitlyn — KNOWLES — Benton Central High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant 

West Lafayette — IN — 47906 — Morgan — O’DONNELL — Benton Central High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant

West Lafayette — IN — 47906 — Allison — WEILBAKER — Harrison High School — Entrepreneurship Academy – 1st Place Team — $500

Zionsville — IN — 46077 — Matthew — KELLY — Zionsville High School — Entrepreneurship Academy participant

To the Purdue Research Park, https://www.purdueresearchpark.com

Note to Journalists: Student(s) from your area participated in the Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy in West Lafayette, Ind.

Purdue Research Park contact: Steve Martin, (765) 494-6872, sgmartin@prf.org