Student entrepreneurs will have a chance to pursue independent projects after winning the Legislation Day competition held by the Dixie State University Student Association.
The DSUSA has announced the winners of its competition held a few weeks ago which offered student groups, clubs and organizations a chance to make presentations and vie for $3,000 in prizes. Legislation Day gives student government a way to utilize funds not already earmarked for senate purposes.
Warren Anderson, DSUSA vice president of academics and a senior accounting major from Santa Clara, said he could not speak as to why the winners were chosen because the decision was made by an entire panel. The judges consisted of Anderson, his assistant and eight student senators.
“Each of us filled out a rubric for each group and then we added up all the totals when the event was over,” Anderson said.
The presentation rubric was divided in seven categories and included evaluating project development, fund necessity, organization of ideas, the number of students affected, how students are impacted, the impact the project will have on DSU, and whether the presentation was delivered with passion, clarity and confidence.
The physical science and biology department students took first place and won $1,250 for a peristaltic pump for the biology department. The second place prize of $1,000 went to the finance club, and third place with a prize of $750 also went to members of the biology department for independent cancer research.
According to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, peristaltic pumps are capable of delivering fluids in large and small amounts in a variety of environments. It is a process similar to many biological systems.
Finance club president Tyler Brooks, a senior finance major from Santa Clara, said the club presidency and its members were delighted to be able to pursue their plans.
“We felt the clubs and departments involved in Legislation Day had valid arguments for receiving the reward,” Brooks said.
The club plans to use its winnings to pay for a trip to Salt Lake City to introduce its members to graduate studies at the University Of Utah and develop relationships within the master’s program in finance. Students will also have an opportunity to make personal contacts while taking corporate tours at Goldman Sachs and Zions Bank .
Brooks said the goal of the trip is to give students a good understanding what potential employers are looking for and then ultimately lead to future employment and placement in graduate programs. He said the club had been planning the trip all semester, and attaining funding was its only concern.
“It will benefit the finance club tremendously,” Brooks said. “The finance club is grateful to the university for holding such events where we could participate.”
Several other groups that presented at the event and did not win will have to seek alternative sources of fundraising for their projects. These proposals included extending the broadcast area for the campus radio station, X 91.3, purchasing video equipment for student filmmakers, and receiving funding for a possible TEDx talk.
