Belmont Students Awarded First Runner-Up in National Student Entrepreneur Competition
Co-founders of Rabbit Hole Creative Kevin Fulda and Jake Jorgovan honored
Information For Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. June 30, 2011 – Belmont students Kevin Fulda and Jake Jorgovan took First Runner-Up at the national finals of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA). An Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) sponsored awards program, GSEA is for full-time undergraduate students who run a revenue-generating business.
Fulda and Jorgovan’s company, Rabbit Hole Creative, is a media creation firm specializing in HD video production, motion graphics and event design. Founded when Fulda and Jorgovan were sophomores, the company won Belmont University’s 2010 business plan competition, securing the $5,000 first-place prize.
Earlier this year, Rabbit Hole Creative was propelled into the spotlight when the company produced video content for Cee Lo Green’s musical performance on Saturday Night Live. Since then, Rabbit Hole Creative has started working on projects with clients such as Dolly Parton and Cirque du Soleil.
“To be recognized by GSEA as one of the top student startups in the nation is quite an honor,” Jorgovan said. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without the Center for Entrepreneurship at Belmont University. The professors there have done so much to help guide us in building a successful business.”
Dr. Jeff Cornwall, department chair for the center added, “Jake not only used his classes to learn about entrepreneurship and business, but made the most of the opportunities to learn outside the classroom. We believe that experiential activities outside of the classroom are where our students who are starting businesses gain the most important knowledge.”
Roughly 3,000 student businesses were nominated to the contest. Only six were invited to the May 19 national finals in New York City.
Douglas Hanna’s Atlanta-based web hosting company, A Small Orange, won the national finals and will advance on to the GSEA global finals November 17-19.
Other national finalists include Jon Fischer, co-founder of Speedbump; Kenny Nguyen,
CEO and partner of Future Genius Solutions; Taylor Louie, co-founder of Skill Addiction; and T.S.T., founders of Eye Candy Boutique.
“What these guys accomplished in terms of creative work and starting a business is incredible,” said John Rowley, president of Fletcher Rowley political consulting firm and EO Nashville member who nominated Rabbit Hole Creative to the competition. “Kevin worked for us as a producer working on hundreds of commercials while Jake kept the business running. They are creative guys with a grounded focus on building a business. That is rare.”
Fulda will graduate from Belmont this spring with a degree in audio engineering technology and video production. Jorgovan recently graduated with an undergraduate degree in audio engineering and entrepreneurship.
Contact: Jeff Bradford/Erin Gagnon, 615.515.4888, info@bradfordgrp.com
About The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards
As the premier global competition for undergraduate students, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) inspire students to adopt entrepreneurial endeavors by bringing global visibility to student business owners who are innovative, profitable and socially responsible. Since 1998, the GSEA, a program founded at the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University, has honored outstanding students who juggle a full course load while running their own businesses. The Entrepreneurs’ Organization took on leadership of the GSEA in 2006 to offer student entrepreneurs access to a global network of mentors, resources and connections from the most influential community of entrepreneurs in the world. The GSEA is generously supported by major foundations, including the NYSE Euronext Foundation the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Ernst & Young and the Todd Thomas Foundation. To nominate a student entrepreneur or to get involved, go to www.gsea.org.
About EO
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) – for entrepreneurs only – is a global community that enriches members’ lives through direct peer-to-peer learning, connections to experts and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. EO is the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. EO is comprised of more than 7,000 members in 38 countries, with an average member age of 39 and average annual revenue of $14.4 million. The organization is committed to building the world’s most influential community of entrepreneurs. For more information, go to: www.eonetowork.org.
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