CIU student writer Brandon Lee took a little shopping trip and found budding entrepreneurs among the student body. He reports on his experience: 

Just in time for the Christmas shopping season, Columbia International University’s Fellowship of Christian Professionals (FCP) hosted a “mini-market,” where I met student entrepreneurs displaying their creative talent and offering goods such as homemade food, original artwork and handcrafted clothing.

I browsed their wares in the Rossi Student Center where I chatted with Trey Shoars, the FPC president. He told me the goal of the mini-market is to encourage students to branch out as entrepreneurs by selling their products, and earn a few extra dollars in the process. He added:

“We want to teach our business students how to sell a product and what it means to participate in a business.”

It was truly impressive to see what my fellow CIU students were creating. I purchased a decorated glass from Emma Moore, whose inventory also included beautiful earrings and a journal she published on Amazon.

“I’m really doing this just for fun,” Emma replied when asked about her artistic aspirations. “It’s a creative outlet for me to make cool things and have fun with it.”

The glass was placed in an attractive tote bag with protective paper to add a professional feel to the transaction.

Another standout product at the market was Jack Horchler’s homemade hot chocolate. I was pleasantly surprised at the taste of his recipe, consisting of just the right amount of sweetness and flavor.

“I’ve been making hot chocolate since I was 14,” Jack told me. “One day I created my own recipe, and I’ve been making it for my family periodically ever since. I heard about the mini-market and the idea to sell hot chocolate popped up in my head.”

The delicious hot chocolate, paired with an excellent price, was a great deal for anyone looking for a warm treat.

Meanwhile, Heather Elgin presented high-quality hand-woven scarves and facecloths. The item that caught my eye in particular was a fluffy white scarf, which felt like a warm blanket when I wrapped it around my neck. I promptly asked Heather how she developed her incredible weaving skills:

“My grandmother has been crocheting her whole life, and through her I was able to learn how to do it when I was 12 years old. I took a weaving class with her a few years ago, and have really gotten into it since then.”

Emma, Jack, and Heather were just a few of the talented students that presented their work at the mini-market that has become a source for displaying the creativity and entrepreneurship of CIU students.

Learn more about earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at CIU.

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