Clemson’s Spiro Institute Sponsors Entrepreneurship Awards Competition

CLEMSON, SC – March 5, 2009 – College students who operate businesses while attending school have the opportunity to compete for $3,000 in prizes in the 10th annual South Carolina Collegiate Entrepreneurship Award competition sponsored by the Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership at Clemson University.

The deadline for entries is March 20. The award winner and runner-up will be recognized April 29 in Columbia at the statewide Small Business Awards program sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“The Spiro Institute sponsors numerous outreach programs that promote entrepreneurial activity in support of our mission,” said Spiro Institute associate director Kim Dawson. “We are especially delighted to organize this competition each year because it allows us to recognize and reward creative student entrepreneurs from across the state.”

Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in South Carolina institutions of higher education are eligible to compete. Previous years’ applicants have come from schools including Clemson, the University of South Carolina, the Medical University of South Carolina, The Citadel, Anderson University, Presbyterian College, Charleston Southern University, Wofford College, Erskine College, Columbia College, Greenville Technical College and Midlands Technical College.  

“Each year we receive entries from students at schools all across the state, and we have had applicants with businesses ranging from three-dimensional construction design to futon sales,” said Dawson. “This competition provides both recognition and much-needed capital to these young entrepreneurs who are running businesses while maintaining a full academic schedule.”

The application for the 2009 South Carolina Collegiate Entrepreneurship Award is available at http://business.clemson.edu/Spiro/. For more information, contact the Spiro Institute at 864-656-7235 or [email protected].