On a campus like Taylor’s, there are innumerous opportunities for students to pursue existing leadership roles, yet It takes a special student to carve their own path in leadership.
Senior Briona Graham and junior Lextin Willis believe their involvement with the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has offered them a space to do just that.
“Studying entrepreneurship is awesome because it’s less of a discipline and more of a way to think,” Willis said. “So instead of learning all these things that you have to spit out, you’re actually learning to think outside the box in multiple different areas and you can apply it … in any discipline.”
Graham and Willis are lead Ignite interns, which, like any true entrepreneur, is a role they created themselves.
In the fall of 2023, their supervisor proposed the idea for what is now IMPACT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Camp, a week-long program for high school students interested in business creation and development. The planning for this camp necessitated the creation of a lead intern role, which Graham and Willis both stepped into.
Now they serve with 13 other interns under them.
There are many programs the CIE facilitates, ranging from the IMPACT Camp to the Ignite internship and recurring events like “PINK PUNCH”, “InnoChat”, “InnoTrek”, Trojan Arena, “Trojan Cup” and “Trojan Blitz”.
The CIE is led by directors Kyra Zylstra, CIE operations manager, and Mick Bates, director of innovation and entrepreneurship and professor of entrepreneurship.
Graham and Willis are grateful for the connections provided to them by their directors.
Last year, the two went on a trip to Olivet Nazarene University and met the creator of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels.
Creating space for fun is something Graham and Willis both prioritize and enjoy within their work. They both agreed their favorite event so far was last year’s 10th edition of Shark Tank, which marked the first year that the CIE took it over from the Calling and Career Office.
“We just went all-in on the shark theme, and we had a lot of fun marketing it,” Willis said.
As leaders, Graham and Willis see value in leveraging the skills of their team to maximize their effectiveness and reach.
Graham said the group takes time to identify their Gallup strengths and participate in team building exercises. This helps with delegating tasks that will fit with each person’s passions and skill sets.
“I think it’s fun, because everyone in the program is entrepreneurial-minded, but they show it in different ways,” Willis said. “For example, I’m much more of a creative brainstormer, that’s what I like to do. And Bri is more, let’s take those things and optimize them to be reality.”
The two see the practice of entrepreneurship as something that is beneficial, not just for business students, but for all majors.
They are currently developing a new opportunity that will create space for students in all areas of discipline to engage with their team.
“When you’re in entrepreneurship, you’re able to expand your mind to be able to process a lot of different things, or take something and excel at it,” Graham said. “So, (as an) education major, (when) you’re teaching your students, how can you think entrepreneurially to maybe reach students who are having a difficult time, stuff like that.”
Collaboration with this group has taught Graham the value of striving toward a common goal and what it is like to cultivate a healthy team culture.
Willis said he has become a better decision maker and taken more ownership over everything that he’s involved in.
“I think we’ve both learned to strive really hard for something but also be ready to pivot,” Graham said.
Graham and Willis hope to introduce the rest of campus to the very programs that have provided them with so much opportunity for growth.
March 10 marks the beginning of Business as Mission Week, with events hosted by the CIE that give students the chance to learn from Christian businesspeople how to use their giftings for the good of the kingdom.
Visit the link in @tayloru_cie bio on Instagram for more details.
