Kutztown University students earn top prize in State System Startup Challenge

Two Kutztown University students won the $10,000 first place prize in the annual State System Startup Challenge, sponsored by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. 

Shantal Ewell, an MBA student, and Kevin Smyth, a Master’s in Student Affairs student, created a business plan for the Schedula Degree Planner, an online platform that would redefine the way college students and advisors interact.

The Schedula Degree Planner creates a personalized degree plan so students can avoid unnecessary courses to graduate in four years or less while improving the efficiency of advisors and the graduation rates of universities. 

“Our State System universities are connecting with the business community more than ever before and these students are a great example of the innovation happening on campuses,” said State System Board of Governors Chairwoman Cynthia D. Shapira. 

 “State System graduates help to fuel Pennsylvania’s economy and competitions like this enable the next generation of business leaders to get their start,” she said. “I congratulate the team from Kutztown University for their victory and thank every student from across the System who competed this year.”

Three student teams participated in the finals of the State System Startup Challenge, which provides students the opportunity to pitch their plans to a panel of business leaders for a chance to win funds to support the start-up or growth of their business, PASSHE said. The three finalists were selected from 60 competitors across the system.

“This business plan competition gives State System students the opportunity to pursue their dreams here in Pennsylvania,” said State System Chancellor Daniel Greenstein. “These students remind us about the value of public higher education to strengthen Pennsylvania’s economy as they translate a classroom education to real-world experience. Thank you to the students, faculty and universities for making this possible.”

Judges were Laura B. Haffner, region bank president, senior vice president, Greater Pennsylvania Region for Wells Fargo; Matt Lutcavage, vice president of Team Experience and chief human resources officer for The Giant Company; Mary Oliveira, chief membership officer for Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and Nandish Patel, an entrepreneur.