For this edition of Almabase Spotlights featuring Public Universities, we shine the light on Virginia Commonwealth University’s Alumni Pitch Competition. This annual competition is helping their alumni with funds and resources to kick-start their entrepreneurial journey.

💡 An Idea to Support Budding Alumni Entrepreneurs

The Office of Alumni Relations at Virginia Commonwealth University intended to create an alumni-centric program that would truly help their alumni meet their career goals. This led to the inception of their annual Alumni Pitch Competition back in 2019. The idea was to provide a holistic platform to their budding alumni entrepreneurs with promising ideas, that not only provided them with funds, but also the right resources to turn their venture into a reality. Whether it be an existing product or service created by their alumni, or a mere entrepreneurial concept ready to create an impact, the stage was open to all their alumni entrepreneurs.

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Since the program was exclusive to VCU alumni, the teams applying for the competition were to be led by their alumni. The teams were asked to submit their pitch in a minute-long video outlining their business ideas. Out of these, five finalists were invited to present their business ideas to a panel of investors and audience. The winner received cash prizes up to $6000, along with a pool of invaluable resources that would help shape their ideas into a sustainable business model. Through this incredible initiative, Virginia Commonwealth University is creating a lifelong bond with their alumni community, encouraging budding alumni entrepreneurs realize their dreams.

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🌟 Our Source of Inspiration

Latisha Taylor Smart is the Director of Alumni Career & Personal Development at Virginia Commonwealth University. With about 13 years of experience working with different universities, Latisha has been pivotal in providing career and personal development support to the VCU alumni community. She has also developed and implemented an array of  holistic initiatives for the alumni community at VCU, ranging from events to development programs for their alumni to choose from.

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