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Westminster College to Host Perfect Pitch Competition, Nov. 7

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Posted on Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Nine students in the School of Business at Westminster College will take on students from Geneva College, Grove City College, Penn State Shenango, and Youngstown State University at the annual Perfect Pitch Competition at 9 a.m.November 7 in Lakeview Room, third floor McKelvey Campus Center. The event is free open to the public. 

Co-sponsored by the School of Business and eCenter@LindenPointe, each student creates a new and original business/product idea and is given a maximum of three minutes to pitch it as if they are seeking funding from investors. 

“College is a catalyst for student imagination and creativity,” said Brian Petrus, event coordinator and instructor of marketing. “The competition captures thoughtfully crafted student ideas matched with product needs in our world. The ideas are brilliant.”

An expert panel of judges rate the pitches based on the question, “Which business owner/presenter would I want to meet with to hear more about their product/idea?” Centered on that question, the highest overall score will win $1000, second place will win $750, and third place will win $500.

Last year, Westminster College students pitched ideas such as an elite living space for hedgehogs, shave gel/cologne combination formula, rain boots with interchangeable skins, and The Smile Project, a fundraising and smile-creating effort promoting random acts of kindness and finding joy in every day. 

“The competition is a platform that produces real-world outcomes,” continued Petrus. “It gives students a reason to develop their dreams into tangible products. A perfect example of this is The Smile Project.” 

The Smile Project was created by Elizabeth Buechele, senior communications major of Cranberry Township. Since her idea in 2011 and her presentation of the idea at various conferences throughout the region, including the Perfect Pitch competition last year, Buechele’s project has taken off and is now being recognized throughout campus and in different pockets of the world. 

To learn more about the Perfect Pitch Competition, visit www.perfectpitchcompetition.com or contact Petrus at petrusba@westminster.edu or (724) 946-6833.