Entrepreneurship Club, Future Founders Foundation Host Year-End Awards Dinner
Students in Trinity’s business department recently shared pizza and fellowship while celebrating philanthropic and academic success in an event that encompassed the Entrepreneurship Club and the Future Founders Foundation (FFF).
As part of the Entrepreneurship Club’s inaugural Empowerment Fund work, Katie Vree ’17 was presented with a check that will allow her to purchase a standing wheelchair. The check was the culmination of a year’s worth of efforts by the Entrepreneurship Club, Nursing Student Organization, and dedicated faculty to help Vree, who was paralyzed with a virus in high school. The presentation evoked tears in several people who were there.
“God is at work here,” said Dan, Vree’s father. “I’m so grateful for the community at Trinity.”
The evening also included an awards presentation of FFF honorees. “This is a tangible way to recognize the work done by the students at Trinity,” said Ethan Adams, coordinator, startups for Future Founders. Adams and Katie Sowa, senior director, startups, for Future Founders, handed out awards for five different levels of achievement: platinum, gold, silver, blue, and white.
Winners from Trinity were:
- Anthony Dykstra, ’18 Platinum
- Dyvon Melling, ’17 Platinum
- Ryan Hesslau, ’18 Gold
- Tanner VanMaanen, ’18 Gold
- Tyler Schneider ’18, Gold
- Jordan VanderKamp, ’19 Silver
- Casey Huisenga, ’18 Silver
- Azariah Pargulski, ’18 Blue
- Craig Vandergalien, ’17 Blue
- Keegan VanMaanen, ’16 White
- Zack Austell, ’18 White
- Cynthia Gliwa, ’17 White
- Sarah Kooiman, ’17 White
- Jared Mulder, ’17 White
- Katlen Siwinski, ’17 White
In addition, Dykstra was given the Outstanding Entrepreneurial Leadership Award.
After dinner, students had the opportunity to spend time with departing faculty members Dr. Rick Hamilton and Prof. Kyle J. Harkema, assistant professors of business, who shared their passion for the field.