“Your flights, hotel, plans and reservations end up scattered across a dozen apps, emails and screenshots, and when something goes wrong mid-trip you’re the one scrambling to fix it,” Sanchez said.

His answer was Trip Pilot, an organizer and in-trip companion designed to keep travel information in one place and help travelers handle problems as they happen.

Sanchez was one of 21 participants to pitch an idea on the opening night of Techstars Startup Weekend AI: Ideas in Action, held Oct. 2-4 in Winston-Salem. Trip Pilot was among six concepts selected by participants for development over the weekend.

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business students and alumni had a strong showing across the competition, helping develop the first- and second-place ventures while contributing to several other teams. The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship served as a facilitator sponsor and helped send �鶹��Ƶ students to Winston-Salem, covering registration and lodging for participants.

Startup Weekend moves quickly. Participants pitch ideas Friday, form teams around selected concepts and spend the weekend testing those ideas with customers and mentors, developing business models and preparing final pitches for judges.

For Sanchez, that process changed Trip Pilot significantly.

“We started out targeting older travelers with a text-and-call AI assistant, then moved away from that and repositioned it as an organizer and companion rather than another planning or booking app,” Sanchez said.

By the end of the weekend, he had narrowed his audience to college students taking their first trips as independent adults. As the weekend progressed, Sanchez took on a larger role in developing and testing the idea.

“Working mostly on my own forced me to learn how to validate an idea, not just pitch it,” Sanchez said. “I built a simple survey to see if strangers cared, and I realized how much I had been guessing about my customer. I also learned I can keep going and lead even when things don’t go to plan.”

Sanchez is continuing to develop the concept through customer interviews, including conversations with �鶹��Ƶ students who have studied abroad.

Carmine Familletti ‘27, a finance and entrepreneurship major from Basking Ridge, N.J., took a different path into the weekend’s first-place venture. After listening to the opening-night pitches and talking with several teams, the idea behind Little Helper stood out to him.

is a safety application for children’s Windows PCs and Macs designed to identify potential signs of grooming, bullying or explicit content in online chats and alert parents.

“I spent time talking with other teams and testing their ideas, and this one stood out as the strongest, so I joined the team,” Familletti said.

Familletti served as chief financial officer, building the pricing model, calculating operating costs and developing a three-year financial plan. His financial work also influenced how the product was designed.

“I used that cost data to see which features were cheap and which were expensive to run,” Familletti said. “That helped us redesign the AI engine to be as cost-efficient as possible, cutting our AI cost from about $26 per family per month to about $1.20.”

By the final pitch, Familletti said the team had more than a concept to show the judges.

“We came in with more than an idea,” Familletti said. “By the final pitch, we had a working product, survey data from real parents, and financial numbers we could defend.”

Little Helper earned first place and received Sparq Coworking memberships, app development support from YohDev and a sponsored launch party to help the team continue developing the venture.

Gabi Czerveny ’27, a marketing major from Charlotte, N.C., joined Transfer Ready, a concept pitched by �鶹��Ƶ alumnus Aaron Satko ’25 after his own experience trying to buy a business.

“He was like, ‘I have an idea for putting the value from the CEO’s head back into the business,’” Czerveny said.

The team developed the concept around helping business owners capture knowledge that might otherwise exist primarily in their heads before retiring or selling the company.

For Czerveny, part of the work was helping the team turn a wide range of ideas into a focused concept.

“We had a lot of ideas on the table, so I helped us narrow in on what we could realistically accomplish over the weekend,” Czerveny said.

She also helped refine the team’s presentation, cutting down slides and making sure the final pitch clearly communicated the idea.

Transfer Ready earned second place and the Social Impact Award, recognizing the venture’s potential to support business and wealth transfer, particularly for minority- and women-owned businesses.

“They said that was so important, especially for small towns, because there are so many small businesses and a lot of them shut down when an owner leaves,” Czerveny said. “Our idea was to keep these companies that have been in business, in business.”

The team also received Sparq Coworking memberships and development support from Sigma Software Vertex to continue building the venture.

The Transfer Ready team also included �鶹��Ƶ students Pierson Norris ’27, Aaron Grubman ’29 and Murray Marks Jr. ’28, along with alumni Joshua Mason ’25 and Satko. Kathy Atwiine ’29 participated on another team during the weekend.

Czerveny’s role with Startup Weekend began before the competition. As a Techstars student ambassador, she helped recruit �鶹��Ƶ participants and worked with Ashley Wilcox, director of the Doherty Center, to get students involved.

Wilcox also traveled to Winston-Salem and served as a judge during the weekend.

“The experience exposed us to different people, perspectives and ideas than we might otherwise encounter,” Czerveny said. “I would mainly suggest that people go to push themselves out of their comfort zones. There are always new ideas there that you would never think of. You really leave the weekend feeling refreshed and focused”

Familletti echoed that advice for students considering a future Startup Weekend.

“Just do it,” Familletti said. “Whatever your skill set, and whatever you do or don’t know going in, the competition will push you to learn something new.”

Ginsburg, a junior economics and entrepreneurship double major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has built a business around transforming photographs of homes and other buildings into custom LEGO kits. Through his company, Blueprint Bricks, customers from around the world can turn meaningful places, including their own homes, into one-of-a-kind LEGO creations.

“I built my own house during COVID using the pieces I had in my basement,” Ginsburg said. “That inspired me to learn the software, make a website and start my own business.”

Ginsburg launched the company as a high school freshman in 2021 under the name Henry’s Custom Homes. He rebranded as Blueprint Bricks this summer, just in time to help bring �鶹��Ƶ’s LEGO-themed Family Weekend to life.

Family Weekend 2026 attendees can purchase a limited-edition �鶹��Ƶ “E” LEGO kit when they register for the weekend. The kit features 175 pieces and the final product stands 5.5 inches tall. A portion of each sale will support �鶹��Ƶ’s Greatest Needs.

The LEGO fun will continue at the Fan Fest event on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Schar Center, as attendees will be able to participate in the building of a 40 inch x 40 inch, 16,644 piece �鶹��Ƶ-themed LEGO mosaic. Ginsburg will be in attendance and is looking forward to seeing this project come to life.

“I can’t wait to be there and see everyone at Fan Fest. I love interacting with people and answering their questions,” he said.

Families checking in at McKinnon Hall during Family Weekend will also be able to view examples of Ginsburg’s LEGO model of �鶹��Ƶ’s Alamance building.

“I think Family Weekend is a really important part of the �鶹��Ƶ experience,” Ginsburg remarked. “Getting to be a part of it is such a privilege.”

For more information on Ginsburg’s business, Blueprint Bricks, visit

Family Weekend 2026 will be held September 25-27. To register, visit /u/parents/family-weekend/.

An accomplished business leader whose career spans global technology, consumer brands and corporate turnarounds, Findley accepted the university’s top award for entrepreneurship on April 22 inside LaRose Digital Theatre.

Findley currently serves as president, CEO and director of Sleep Number and has held leadership roles at Alibaba, Etsy and Blue Apron.

�鶹��Ƶ President Connie Ledoux Book presented the medal alongside Haya Ajjan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

The ceremony opened with a video tribute featuring remarks from Book, Ajjan, Elizabeth Caran and Jeffrey Pugh, former Distinguished University Professor and Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies at �鶹��Ƶ, both of whom were in attendance.

Caran, Findley’s sister, emphasized her sibling’s commitment to making people feel heard and included. Pugh described Findley as someone who “makes everything better wherever she goes,” guided by both intellect and a strong moral compass.

In her remarks, Findley reflected on what entrepreneurial leadership has come to mean in her own life and career.

“When you told me I was receiving the medal for entrepreneurial leadership, I’ll be honest, I had a moment of pause,” said Findley. “Because when I think about entrepreneurs, I think about founders. People who start companies from scratch. And that’s not my path.”

Instead, Findley said, her career has been defined by stepping into companies in moments of change and choosing to lead with ownership, resilience and a willingness to act before feeling fully ready.

“Entrepreneurial leadership isn’t really about whether you started something,” she said. “It’s about how you show up, the risks you take, the responsibility you assume and how you bring people along with you.”

Findley, who grew up in nearby Greensboro, told students that �鶹��Ƶ played a transformative role in helping her see herself and her future differently. She described struggling academically and socially in high school before arriving at �鶹��Ƶ, where she found an environment that encouraged exploration, curiosity and growth.

“�鶹��Ƶ didn’t just teach me what to learn,” Findley said. “It taught me how to think.”

She credited the university’s interdisciplinary approach, study abroad opportunities and especially a set of religion courses with Pugh for reshaping her perspective.

“Those classes exposed me to such a broad world of ideas, perspectives, modern views on longstanding concepts,” she said. “That changed everything about how I thought of myself and what I could do in the world.”

That openness to possibility would later shape major decisions in her career, including a move to Hong Kong without a job lined up after finding it difficult to break out of communications roles in the United States. The leap eventually led to a role at Alibaba and marked a major turning point in how she thought about risk.

“You don’t wait until you’re ready,” Findley said. “You go. You do. You open yourself up to learning. And that’s what makes you ready.”

Throughout the evening, Findley returned to the idea that leadership is less about titles and more about how people are treated along the way. She said one of the reasons she wanted to become a CEO was her belief that companies can succeed without losing sight of the people who make that success possible.

“Customers and teams matter most, and you could build a successful company while still treating people like humans,” she said.

That people-first approach also shaped how she described her leadership style during a question-and-answer session with students. Rather than entering organizations assuming she has all the answers, Findley said she tries to create the conditions for others to do their best work.

“My assumption is that everyone else in the room knows more than I do,” Findley said, “and my job is to get out of their way and get everything else out of the way so they can do it.”

Students asked Findley about topics ranging from career pivots and leadership style to failure, resilience and decision-making. In response, she emphasized the importance of core values, communication and internal resilience, especially when navigating uncertainty.

“You’re never going to please everyone,” she said. “You’re never going to make everyone happy, and you’re never going to have respect from everyone. But you will get respect for actually making a decision and making a change and taking action when people don’t like it.”

She closed her remarks by offering students three challenges: take one real risk in the next 30 days, put yourself in rooms where you are not the most qualified person, and act like an owner before you ever receive the title.

“Entrepreneurial leadership isn’t about starting companies,” Findley said. “It’s about taking responsibility for outcomes, for people and for your own path.”

�鶹��Ƶ the �鶹��Ƶ Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The �鶹��Ƶ Medal Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has been given to an entrepreneur who is a leader in industry and who exemplifies the values of �鶹��Ƶ. These values include integrity, innovation and creativity, passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

�鶹��Ƶ the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established by an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, N.J., and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin ’07. The Dohertys have served on the university’s Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an �鶹��Ƶ Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation’s leading franchise operators of quality family restaurants, including Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy’s Fresh Mex.

�鶹��Ƶ President Connie Ledoux Book and Haya Ajjan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, will present the medal on Wednesday, April 22, at 4:30 p.m. in the LaRose Digital Theatre inside the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center.

The celebration is open to the campus community.

�鶹��Ƶ Linda Findley ‘95

Linda Findley joined Sleep Number in April 2025 and is recognized for her expertise in operations, organizational transformation, marketing strategy and global expansion.

She has held senior leadership roles across several high-growth companies. From 2009 to 2012, she was based in Hong Kong, leading global marketing, business development, and customer service for Alibaba.com Ltd. She later served in executive roles at Evernote Corp. from 2012 to 2015, including chief operating officer.

Findley was chief operating officer at Etsy from 2016 to 2018, overseeing product, design, marketing and customer engagement and acquisition. She then served as president, chief executive officer, and director of Blue Apron from 2019 to 2024, leading the company through significant transformation and growth.

In addition to her executive leadership, Findley has served on the board of directors of Ralph Lauren since August 2018 and has been board chair of HeliosX since February 2025.

Findley graduated from the School of Communications and holds a master’s degree in journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her leadership is defined by a focus on innovation, adaptability and driving meaningful organizational impact.

�鶹��Ƶ the �鶹��Ƶ Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The �鶹��Ƶ Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has recognized an entrepreneur who is an industry leader and exemplifies �鶹��Ƶ’s values, including integrity, innovation and creativity, a passion for lifelong learning and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

�鶹��Ƶ the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established through an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty P’07, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, New Jersey, and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin ’07. The Dohertys have served on the university’s Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an �鶹��Ƶ Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation’s leading franchise operators of family restaurants, including Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy’s Fresh Mex.

Oaks Originals is a Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship program that provides student business owners with opportunities to showcase their products to the �鶹��Ƶ community. Students are able to access pop-ups, workshops, networking and consulting events that help them to further their journeys as entrepreneurs.

Many student business owners at �鶹��Ƶ have worked to incorporate sustainability into their products and designs.

Shriya Baru ’25 is an accounting major at �鶹��Ƶ, and her business, Kolis USA, started as a passion project that allowed her to channel her creative interests, and has grown into a lifestyle brand that incorporates Indian design through handcrafted products including candles, jewelry and accessories. Oaks Originals has allowed Baru to further her passion for entrepreneurship while maintaining a commitment to sustainability in various forms.

“KOLIS connects to sustainability through small-batch, handcrafted production that minimizes waste, reusable candle jars and durable materials, reduces transportation impact, and a focuses on cultural sustainability,” Baru said.

Noah Elliott ’28, is an economics and financial technology major whose business, Elliott Ringworks, makes and sells fine jewelry. Throughout his time at �鶹��Ƶ, Elliott has become particularly interested in how business and management connect to jewelry making. His jewelry-making process involves the recycling of silver and metal scraps:

“I take my old scraps from previous projects, such as off-cuts and old rings. I then combine that with new silver in the form of a coin and heat it up to 1763 degrees. It all melts together and I can pour it out into usable ingots and make more jewelry out of it,” said Elliott.

For more information on student vendors at Oak Originals, visit this link. For more information on student groups involved with sustainability on campus, please visit the Office of Sustainability’s website.

Before leading a media brand that now reaches more than 11 million readers annually, Collins was an �鶹��Ƶ student preparing for a career in finance. “The most transformative part of my time here wasn’t just the internships or the study abroad,” said Collins. “It was the relationships. My wife, my best friends, the people who helped me open doors early in my career, all of that started here.”

Those connections led to his first job after graduation. “I told everyone I wanted to move to New York and work in financial services. Through a friend’s family connection, my resume ended up with the right person. That led to Citigroup,” he said. “I just kept sharing what I wanted to do and who I wanted to meet.”

After three years at Citi, Collins began his MBA at Duke University. A law school course on venture capital and private equity introduced him to entrepreneurship through acquisition. “That one experience told me this is something I’m clearly interested in.”

Instead of building a startup, Collins pursued acquiring and operating an existing company. He joined RBC Capital Markets to gain deal experience, launched a search fund, and acquired HousingWire in 2016.

As his team grew, he learned the value of specialization. “It’s really important to have a team that knows how to get in a lane, stay in a lane and execute,” Collins said.

When asked how students can stand out in the workplace, Collins pointed to curiosity and initiative. “The people who ask, get,” he said. “Even if they report to someone a few levels down, they’re willing to say, ‘What are you working on right now? How can I help?’”

He also emphasized adaptability. “Business priorities change. They change often,” he said. “The willingness to ask, ‘What’s the priority now? What do I need to learn to help the business get to the next level?’ is just really important.”

Reflecting on his time at �鶹��Ƶ, Collins said, “I probably could have built stronger relationships with some of the professors. There were definitely points in the first few years out where I wish I had someone I could turn around and ask a question to.”

His advice to students was clear: “Don’t wait for anybody to give you permission,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to take a risk before it feels right. If you get down a path and realize you don’t like it, do something different. Pivot.”

After graduating from �鶹��Ƶ with a degree in business administration, Collins began his career in finance, working in investment banking with RBC Capital Markets and serving as vice president of national sales and marketing at Citi. In 2016, he acquired a media company focused on housing and real estate and has since expanded it into a multi-brand platform recognized for its market intelligence, data insights and industry events.

Collins also leads, Riomar Capital, an entrepreneurial investment firm focused on media, data and technology and serves on several industry boards. His career reflects a blend of financial expertise, strategic growth, and innovation within the business media landscape.

The event will be held in conversation with Dylan Ketchum ’11, a Doherty Center Advisory Board member, who will guide the discussion.

�鶹��Ƶ the C. Ashton Newhall Endowed Lecture Series

Named for �鶹��Ƶ trustee C. Ashton Newhall ’98, this lecture series brings accomplished entrepreneurs to campus each year to share their insights on managing risks, capitalizing on opportunities and innovating in today’s marketplace. Featuring candid talks and interactive sessions, the series offers students, faculty, and the broader community a valuable window into the inner workings of entrepreneurial success, from sparking an idea to sustaining long-term growth.

The solution became , a Chrome extension, and soon an AI-powered shopping platform with a personalized feed that pulls looks from Gen Z’s favorite brands.

After several months of user research, advisor meetings and early testing, the founders booked a four-hour whiteboard session with Sean McMahon, associate professor of entrepreneurship.

“Professor McMahon’s guidance helped us take everything we’d been working on and turn it into something attainable and scalable,” said Graffeo, who earned a degree in human resource management and is from Mount Sinai, New York. “His support means a lot to us and we’re super grateful.”

Mathis is part of the Stanford University Innovation Fellows program at �鶹��Ƶ, an experience that strengthened his approach to design thinking and solution-building. Leyda, who earned a degree computer science, statistics and public health is the first woman on �鶹��Ƶ’s hackathon team and drew on marathon coding events to lead the platform’s technical build.

In the School of Communications, Daniel Haygood, professor of strategic communications, advised the founders as they ran interviews and focus groups that refined OneTap’s market research.

Months of iteration paid off when OneTap impressed judges at the Innovation Challenge hosted by the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Ongoing guidance from the Doherty Center linked the founders to alumni, while a recent grant from the university’s Entrepreneurship Fund will help the group accelerate their plans.

“The Doherty Center’s alumni introductions have opened doors in tech, fashion and fundraising we couldn’t reach on our own,” said Dixon, who earned a degree in economics from Westchester, N.Y.

With Dixon and Graffeo already working in Manhattan, the team will base OneTap in New York City after graduation to stay close to fashion brands, investors and �鶹��Ƶ mentors.

“We want OneTap to be the go-to platform where people discover, organize and buy clothes that match their style—all in one place. Think of a personalized home feed like TikTok or Instagram, but for clothes. We’re building OneTap to personalize shopping,” Mathis said.

This spring, her Raleigh-based company, , captured one of just , a $50,000 award drawn from more than 120 statewide applicants.

The idea for Kahmino began the first time Casey tried to buy a home.

“My agent asked where I wanted to live, and I realized I knew nothing about Raleigh’s neighborhoods. It was easy to find the available 2 bed/2 bath, much harder to find the right lifestyle fit,” said Casey.

The frustration lingered until 2023, when she paused her career to backpack through Europe. While walking Spain’s 500-mile Camino de Santiago, Casey met fellow pilgrims who were also re-imagining their lives, a moment that clarified how profoundly community shapes happiness.

“The Camino showed me you can choose the life you want, but you need the right place to live it,” Casey said. “I came home, named the company Kahmino and started coding.”

When working with home buyers, real estate agents use Kahmino’s AI services to assist buyers in finding their perfect neighborhood match. Buyers fill out a survey that asks them about their priorities. Questions include their typical weekend activities, their preference for a home’s character, and preferences for the quality of a school district, among others.

For example, a homebuyer looking for a historic bungalow in a good school district with trendy brunch options will have their preferences submitted to Kahmino’s AI model, yielding results that show neighborhood matches for that buyer.

Within months she had a working prototype and a small roster of paying customers in the Triangle and Charlotte.

Back on campus for �鶹��Ƶ’s Night of Networking for student-athletes, Casey’s former teammate introduced her to Raychel Lockwood, director of development for the Love School of Business.

Lockwood reviewed Casey’s NC IDEA micro-grant proposal, offered alumni introductions and pointed her toward additional campus resources.

Dean Haya Ajjan paired Kahmino with two graduate analytics teams that explored revenue models and a potential pilot for graduating seniors and relocating faculty.

Dina Rousset, director of the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, drew on her experience mentoring previous NC Idea grant winners to critique Casey’s slide deck, organize mock interviews and make Triangle-area introductions.

Casey quickly began paying the help forward, judging the �鶹��Ƶ Innovation Challenge and speaking with Innovation Scholars about the realities of launching a company.

“Their questions were sharper than mine at their age,” she says. “Being back at �鶹��Ƶ keeps me energized.”

Kahmino’s traction and Casey’s success with last year’s $10,000 NC IDEA Micro Grant helped the startup navigate the Seed program’s rigorous three-month gauntlet of applications, reference checks and a 30-minute final pitch.

When the congratulatory email arrived, Casey’s four-person team immediately outlined two goals for the new funding: hiring additional engineers and expanding into four more metro markets.

“The capital will speed up everything on our roadmap, but the bigger win is NC IDEA’s network,” Casey said. “They surround you with mentors who selflessly provide all of the network access and expertise they can.”

Her three-year vision is national: Kahmino in every major U.S. market, working with real estate agents and using lifestyle data to match renters and buyers with neighborhoods that feel like home.

“�鶹��Ƶ felt like home the moment I stepped on campus,” she says. “I wanted that same feeling in my neighborhood. Everyone deserves that certainty when they move.”

�鶹��Ƶ the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Established through an endowment from Ed and Joan Doherty, the Doherty Center cultivates an entrepreneurial growth mindset among �鶹��Ƶ students and positions alumni for economic and social impact worldwide. Students and graduates interested in mentorship, speaking opportunities or collaboration can contact innovation@elon.edu.

Dave Porter P’11 P’19, owner and managing partner of Baystate Financial, one of Massachusetts’ oldest and largest financial planning firms, received the �鶹��Ƶ Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership on April 23 inside LaRose Digital Theatre.

Porter, who recently concluded service as chair of the Board of Trustees, accepted the medal from President Connie Ledoux Book and Raghu Tadepalli, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

In his acceptance remarks, Porter described what he calls the two gifts each new day delivers: a chance and a choice. “If you choose comfort, you’ll be comfortable for a while,” he said. “Choose discipline and you’ll change your future.”

After high-school athletics eclipsed academics in Ramsey, N.J., Porter’s first college mail contained mostly rejection letters, including one from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. Unwilling to accept the decision, Porter drove 150 miles to the admissions office, requested an interview, and walked out with an acceptance letter written on the back of the original rejection.

“That moment,” he said, “proved you can change your future if you own the outcome.”

Early missteps, most famously faxing a confidential salary sheet to the wrong law-office number, taught him to “fix errors fast, learn and move on smarter.”

When he became managing partner of Boston-based Baystate Financial in 1996, the firm tallied under $1 million in annual revenue; today it serves clients from 16 offices across New England.

“Growth came from one rule—promise integrity and hire people who keep those promises,” he said.

Putting people first remains central to his leadership. Porter writes three handwritten thank-you notes each morning, a practice that has filled seven storage crates with replies.

“A quick ‘hello, how are you?’ or a handwritten note can change the trajectory of somebody’s day,” Porter said. “Write those notes with the same discipline you bring to hitting your goals.”

Highlights from a Q&A with students

• On staying motivated after setbacks: Long-term drive comes only when people “own the outcome” of their goals; external rewards fade quickly.
• On launching a venture right out of college: Assemble mentors who deliver “truth-telling feedback,” starting with professors willing to critique both ideas and character.
• On life immediately after graduation: Explore service, travel or nonprofit work while expenses are low; constrained experiences reveal authentic passions.
• Most enduring lesson from a mentor: A former boss bought him 12 pocket-less shirts to cure sloppy pen storage – proof,  Porter said, that small details broadcast personal standards.
• A first no-nonsense investment: Porter recommended the Vanguard 500 Index Fund for its low fees and simplicity.

In 2011, Porter endowed the Porter Family Professional Development Center at �鶹��Ƶ, which provides resources to assist students in preparing for and acquiring internships, full-time employment or graduate school placement after graduation.

Porter and his wife, Jen, are the parents of five children, including Tim Porter ’11 and Jack Hubley ’19, and three grandchildren.

Joshua Mason ‘25, lead scholar intern with the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, introduced Porter at the ceremony. Mason called Porter’s mantra of “doing well by doing good” the backbone of his own venture: Fate Line AI, a startup that delivers technical solutions to small businesses.

Doherty Center Director Dina Rousset concluded the program by reminding attendees that “an entrepreneurial mindset isn’t just about launching companies – it’s about choosing to see possibility everywhere.”

�鶹��Ƶ the �鶹��Ƶ Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The �鶹��Ƶ Medal Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has been given to an entrepreneur who is a leader in industry and who exemplifies the values of �鶹��Ƶ. These values include integrity, innovation and creativity, passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

�鶹��Ƶ the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established by an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, N.J., and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin ’07. The Dohertys have served on the university’s Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an �鶹��Ƶ Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation’s leading franchise operators of quality family restaurants, including Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy’s Fresh Mex.