Cassie Figuero ‘24 and Alec Schrader ‘24 are leading the way for student entrepreneurship at Wofford. Their website, Campus Connections, allows students to list their services and get hired by other students or organizations on campus.
Last semester, Figuero and Schrader pitched at SC Innovates, a statewide competition that college students attend to showcase their entrepreneurial talents. They were one of the six teams that Wofford sent to the online competition. Placing fourth, they received a prize of $750.
After placing fourth, Figuero and Schrader made modifications to their script and presentation. They also practiced answering questions that judges were likely to ask, a weak spot of their SC Innovates experience, according to Figuero.
More recently, the two competed in the Terrier Startup Challenge where they pitched to an audience and were judged. The pair placed first and received a $4,500 prize.
“Winning that competition provided validation for us and motivated me to really start working to make Campus Connections a reality,” Fuguero said.
“We want to create a mini-economy between the students on campus,” Schrader said. “Ultimately, the goal is to connect student entrepreneurs or providers to other students in need of those services.”
They aim to keep students connected, safe and engaged in their community. Campus Connections is a way for students to earn money and gain entrepreneurial experience while simultaneously pursuing their college education.
Campus Connections will include services such as photography, haircuts, oil changes, food pickup and rideshare. Students at Wofford have already helped Figuero and Schrader in their process of creating and pitching Campus Connections.
Additionally, students can pay for and/or get paid for the services through the Campus Connections website, allowing for secure transactions.
“A lot of students at Wofford have been very helpful in the process, offering their advice and encouragement, as well as participating in our videos and expressing their excitement to be able to use Campus Connections themselves,” Figuero said.
After their success at the Terrier Startup Challenge, Figuero and Schrader filed to become an LLC in North Carolina and are now the founders of Campus Connections LLC.
Wofford is sending the two to Charleston to pitch Campus Connections at the SoCon Entrepreneurship Challenge on Feb. 25, held at the Citadel’s Baker School of Business.
The SoCon Entrepreneurship Challenge will be held for the first time this year. Students can either compete in a “for profit” or “not for profit” portion of the competition. The first place winners will receive $10,000 to put toward their start ups.
Figuero and Schrader’s next step is to perfect their ten minute pitch for the SoCon Entrepreneurship Challenge. They will be meeting with financial and technology advisors to continue working to complete their software and launch the platform for Campus Connections to become reality.
