Student-Run Business Fair

EVELYN DAVIDSON EVELYN.DAVIDSON.20@CNU.EDU

job creating the perfect night to remember. It was a truly magical event and gave a great reason for people to dress up and have fun with their friends.

Last Friday, Feb. 17, the CNU Entrepreneurship Club hosted its spring Student Run Business Fair in the DSU. This is the fourth ever business fair hosted by the Entrepreneurship Club, the first being in the fall of 2021.

According to the club’s Compass page, “Our overarching goal is to better connect the Christopher Newport community with our local Newport News community through learning about entrepreneurship. We do this through discussing podcasts, providing workshops, and hosting speakers from local start-up businesses.”

This past Saturday, CNU’s Campus Activities Board (CAB) outdid themselves with this year’s annual formal dance, Captain’s Ball, which had a theme of Enchanted Forest. As you walked into the DSU, and ascended the grand staircase, you were greeted with a scene straight out of a fairytale. All around the landing were flowers and everyone was dressed to the nines in their suits and dresses. Taking inspiration from the theme, some students were even dressed as druids or woodland creatures.

In the spirit of CAB, there was no shortage of things to do at the dance. After checking your coat, there was a photo booth by the entrance of the ballroom, where you could pick out props, take pictures, and even get your photos printed on the spot. Though, the main event of the ball took place in the ballroom itself. In the center of the ballroom, there was a dance floor, accompanied by a DJ. The floor was crowded with students and their guests dancing and singing to the music. In between songs, the DJ even had a QR code up, that allowed students to suggest the next song. Surrounding the room, there were plenty of photo opportunities in theme with

Outside the ballroom, there was even more to do! In one room, there was a 360o camera that was set up to take pictures from every angle. In the boardroom, CAB had set up a VIP room, where if you bought your ticket early enough you could go in. This room was complete with more dessert and nonalcoholic drinks for the taking, along with a free tumbler. As the night winded down, and people started leaving, there were complementary wine glasses engraved with the theme of the night you could take. All in all, CAB did an amazing

CNU students with small businesses were able to sign up for a booth to sell their products. Businesses ranged from crocheted stuffed animals to handmade paintings to pressed flower jewelry.

Club president Savanna Meyers is a senior Management and Marketing major who also owns her own business, Simply Statements. Meyers said that her interest in running her own business started in the fourth grade; now she sells greeting cards, clothing with her own designs on them, and she is self-published on Amazon. The hardest part of running Simply Statements is finding time to dedicate to her business, said Meyers.

“The school year is always so busy and I am glad the business fair allows myself and other entrepreneurs to showcase our products to the CNU community,” Meyers added.

One vendor who participated this year was Stephen Sherrange. Sherrange is a senior Computer Science major who has run his own art business for more than five years now. When asked why he chose to participate in this year’s business fair, Sherrange emphasized the importance of business exposure.

Sherrange also considered the most rewarding aspect of running his own business.

“Being able to look back at what I made and accomplished, and knowing that I made it happen. That sense of personal agency is hard to beat,” he said.

Another vendor, senior Psychology major Sierra Palian, owns Lilac Haven Jewelry. She started making pressed flower jewelry for fun during the pandemic, but her hobby soon developed into a business.

In developing her business, she encountered some hiccups along the way.

However, Palian said, “Perseverance is key to starting any business, and frustration isn’t a bad thing; it shows that you’re striving to get better.

Palian also said, “It’s so refreshing to bring a creative idea to fruition and see other people get just as excited about my jewelry as I do.”

To find out more about the Entrepreneurship Club, visit their Instagram page: @ eclubcnu