Seven StFX students, working on a total of four projects, have received $28,000 in funding to pursue entrepreneurial ventures this summer.
The students—Kendra Vigneau, Jeremy Fagnan, Sam Court, Brittany Cooper, Rachel Ann Taylor, Ben Boudreau and Laura Bray—are recipients of StFX DiscoverBox Enterpreneurial Internships. The program is delivered by StFX DiscoverBox, one of 10 Sandboxes across the province funded by the Nova Scotia Labour and Advanced Education. Internships are valued at $6,000 for individuals and $10,000 for teams.
Each team will work virtually with Paula Brophy, Coordinator of StFX DiscoverBox, and a StFX faculty mentor.
“It’s an excellent crash course for anyone considering entrepreneurship as a career path. We focus on identifying transferrable skills that students can apply to whatever career they choose,” Ms. Brophy says.
“It provides opportunity for interdisciplinary groups to meet, create and collaborate.”
Ms. Brophy says DiscoverBox was able to expand its 12-week paid entrepreneurial summer internship by four additional projects this summer.
The students will take part in weekly virtual training workshops to develop business skill sets and one-on-one counselling with Ms. Brophy and their faculty mentor.
The internship will link the youth entrepreneurs with the Nova Scotia entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The award recipients and their projects include:
Gravis Stimuli – Kendra Vigneau, Jeremy Fagnan, Sam Court, Brittany Cooper
With Gravis Stimuli, the four students are working to create a two-part solution that combines the effects of weighted blankets and sound-baffling material into a low-profile, weighted, stylish zip-up hoodie with a weighted hood lined with a sound-baffling material. They say this system combines the benefits of deep touch pressure therapy (DTP) into a functional, compact system with the goal to provide the user with functional clothing that looks no different than what others are wearing. “Our goal is to create a system that will help individuals cope with anxiety in an increasingly chaotic world.”
Mythological Memos – Rachel Ann Taylor
Mythological Memos is an ethical online stationery store that specializes in showcasing small artists, especially Canadian ones, seeks to pay artists fairly, and is committed to keeping pirated goods out of its inventory, Ms. Taylor says. “The store is targeted towards snail-mail and study communities that have grown since COVID. Mythological Memos will focus on the domestic market, and as such, will be offering much faster shipping times to Canadian customers.”
Dollars & Sense – Ben Boudreau
Mr. Boudreau’s “Dollars & Sense” project aims to find ways to connect local community businesses with residents and students. “The Antigonish community has always been a strong support system for StFX students, a fact that became even more evident during the recent COVID-19 pandemic,” he says. This project is his way to pay it forward by showcasing what Antigonish businesses have to offer to current and incoming students who will live in the community for the next four years. He says the project has two main missions: to provide advertising for local businesses as a means of increasing foot traffic into their establishments, and to promote daily/weekly specials that will, in turn, help the student community decide how to spend their dollars. The second pillar of the Dollars & Sense project is aimed at incoming students to educate these young adults on tips and tricks that will promote their personal financial literacy – specifically providing ways to help them save money. “With Dollars & Sense, the community gains through increased foot traffic as an economic boost and StFX students gain solid financial tips in the Antigonish community.”
Antigonish Moves – Laura Bray
Antigonish Moves will provide adults with the opportunity to have fun and be physically active year-round through recreational sports leagues. The various sports leagues will change by the season, and the games will be self-officiated to foster respect and community between the teams. People can register as individuals, as a group, or as a whole team to provide everyone the opportunity to play, Ms. Bray says.
